


Make It Work

by deepliketherivers



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-07-16 13:37:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 38,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7270453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepliketherivers/pseuds/deepliketherivers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the threat of Shiratorizawa hanging above them, the country of Karasuno has little choice but to make an alliance with one of the powerful provinces to the north. Akaashi knows this, so he's really not upset that he's been offered up as a consort to the prince of Fukurodani. No really, he's not mad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a self-indulgent AU based off of my strange fascination with the arranged marriage trope. Why do I love it so much? We may never know.

The large chairs at the front of the council room were markedly uncomfortable, Akaashi noted with a discreet shift of his weight. The air was sticky with heat, and being in a room with so many people was stifling. He wasn’t normally required to attend these showy meetings that were more for appearances than actual decision-making, but his mother had firmly insisted that he be present for the announcement she was planning to make. 

Open walls made it possible to hear the hum of insects over the respectful silence of the crowd. His mother stood tall in front of everyone, seemingly unbothered by the heat. 

“Thank you to all of you who have taken time to attend today.” She inclined her head towards the audience, smiling softly to show her gratitude. “We have an important matter to discuss, and I wish to share with you all some decisions that have been made and the reasons behind them. To introduce the topic, I ask you to listen to our director of political affairs, Sugawara Koushi.”

Akaashi turned his attention to the light-haired man that his mother had gestured towards, who was now standing and smiling. 

“Thank you, your highness. The queen has asked me to brief you all on the situation surrounding Shiratorizawa and their recent efforts at expanding their borders.”

Sugawara took a deep breath, “It appears that we will not be able to make an agreement with the people of Shiratorizawa. They have refused any attempts to meet and come to a diplomatic solution. I am afraid that we will soon be forced to defend ourselves as they push their borders further south. After discussing this matter with the queen and General Daichi, I understand that we are not capable of standing against Shiratorizawa through our own military might.”

A quiet murmur spread through the crowd as the assembly listened to Sugawara’s assessment of the situation. It was unusual in their country to fall back on their military at all, and Akaashi could see that many of the people in the group looked uncomfortable with what they were being told. The threat of Shiratorizawa had been growing ever closer over the past few months, but not everyone had come to terms with the possibility of a conflict looming on the horizon. 

Frankly, Akaashi was surprised it had taken this long for his mother to take action. It was clear that their borders were in the path of Shiratorizawa’s rapid expansion, and any further delay in military preparations would be nothing but detrimental. He tuned out a little as Sugawara explained these things, letting those who didn’t already know that they were making a military alliance with their northern friends, Fukurodani. 

The two countries had a long trade history based on mutual benefits. Fukurodani was capable of providing them with furs and lumber, while in return Karasuno gave them silks, fruit, and grain. Their allies also had a military expertise that their own country was lacking. Unlike Karasuno, Fukurodani had a history of solving conflicts with brute strength rather than compromise. 

Akaashi tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, watching the sun set over the heads of those in the audience. He could see that they were becoming restless, even those who hadn’t heard this information before were likely unsurprised by this development. 

Sugawara seemed to notice the same shift in the crowd, quickly wrapping up his summary. “Thank you all for your attention. Now our queen will inform you all of one final decision in this matter.”

Akaashi’s mother nodded and stood again, waiting for the room to return to silence before beginning her announcement. 

“Thank you, Sugawara. Our last piece of business concerns the treaty with Fukurodani. As a show of good faith, and to create a permanent bridge of communication between our two countries, I have offered my son Keiji as a consort to the Fukurodani prince.”

Whispers sprung into life around the room, humming in tune with the insects outside. Akaashi felt acutely aware of every muscle in his face as all eyes were directed towards him. He kept rigid control over his expression, attempting to project a calm and indifferent attitude. Relaxed mouth. Alert eyes. Eyebrows raised in interest but not surprise. The face of an obedient son, content with his part in the plan. 

He’d been informed before now, of course. His mother had at least approached it like it was a choice for him to make, even if they were both aware that it wasn’t. Duty, honor, and all that. 

“I am pleased to tell you,” the queen continued, her voice raised slightly over the murmuring voices, “that this offer has been graciously accepted. Preparations have already begun, and the wedding will take place in Fukurodani province. That will be all for tonight, you are free to go.”

And then they were leaving. Utterly unconcerned by the news they just heard, while Akaashi was acutely aware of how his life was about to change forever. He allowed his face to melt a little now that no one was watching him, showing the vague disappointment that he felt. Not even a single question was asked. 

He flinched as a light touch fell on his neck and drifted down to his shoulder. 

“Thank you for coming tonight, Akaashi. It helps show the people that this is something you were aware of and agreed to.” His mother kept a grip on his shoulder, turning him a little to look up at her. Despite the stifling heat in the room, her fingers felt cold against his skin. 

“Of all your siblings, you really do have the best poker face, Keiji.” she joked lightly, “You’d of thought I was announcing the weather.”

He cracked a smile at that, standing up to walk with her away from the council room and back into the main halls of the palace. “Well, I did learn from the best. You looked like you were selling a bundle of hay to Fukurodani, rather than your child.”

She glanced down at him with a disappointed look, “I wish you wouldn’t say it like that. I’m not selling you, and I take this whole matter very seriously. You know why I chose you, don’t you?”

Akaashi restrained himself from rolling his eyes, “Yes, mother, you’ve told me.”

She continued to frown at him, “I know, but I’m not sure you listen.”

Thankfully, she let the matter drop there, and they continued in silence. The air was considerably cooler within the palace walls, the clay brick walls insulating it from the bright sun. Akaashi felt goosebumps rise on his arms and shoulders as his body adjusted to the new temperature. He really needed to get to his room before…

“Kei-chan! How did the announcement go?”

Before someone saw him. 

Oikawa dropped into a low bow in front of both of them, “Good evening, your majesty.” he directed towards the queen, “I’ll escort Akaashi-sama back to his room.”

The taller man looped his arm in with Keiji’s and steered him away from the queen, towards a hallway that would take them through the scenic route to his room. 

When they were out of sight, Akaashi gently tugged his arm away from Oikawa’s. “I don’t know why you bother calling me Akaashi-sama in front of her, she heard you say Kei-chan. You might as well own your insolence.”

Oikawa had the nerve to look offended. “It’s not insolence if we’re friends! I use your title in front of your mother so she won’t suspect the truth.”

“And what’s the truth, Tooru?”

His companion grinned, “That we’re madly in love, of course!” 

Akaashi rolled his eyes, “I think I’m more likely to fall in love with my fiancé, who I’ve never even spoken to, than you.”

“But I’m so pretty, Kei-chan! No one can resist me.” Oikawa sent him a look that Akaashi guessed was supposed to be seductive, but it looked more like he had gotten sand in his eyes. 

“Looks aren’t everything, you know. I don’t think any amount of beauty could make up for the burden of dealing with you.” Akaashi said with a straight face, refusing to smile even when his friend let out a dramatic gasp.

“Well,” Oikawa pouted, “If no one can love my personality, I don’t know how you’re ever supposed to make this foreign prince fall for you. The muscles in your face don’t even remember how to smile.”

Akaashi had to grin a little at that, contradicting the other man’s statement. Their footsteps echoed as they approached his room, falling into a companionable silence. Oikawa parted the curtain that sectioned off his quarters from the rest of the palace and they both passed through. 

The quiet that had been comfortable in the hallway suddenly became more oppressive as the linen fell shut behind them. Akaashi could feel Oikawa’s eyes on him, watching as he started to take off the decorative clothing he wore for the ceremony. 

“Do you need any help undressing?” Oikawa asked, eyes catching on the full torso jewelry piece that draped across Akaashi’s chest and back. He briefly considered stubbornly insisting he could do it himself, but it really was such a pain to take off. 

He turned his back to Oikawa, “Yeah, could you help me get the chest piece off please?”

The other man obliged, moving to start work on the line of clasps that fastened around Akaashi’s neck. Once it was off, Oikawa reached for a soft shift from the closet and helped Akaashi put his arms through the billowy sleeves. 

“So…” Oikawa broke the quiet. “How are you feeling?”

Akaashi looked down at the floor, fidgeting with the white fabric at his wrists. Strangely, the question made him feel a sudden rush of affection for his friend, who was eyeing him with concern. This might be the first time throughout the entire engagement process that anyone had asked him how he felt. 

He sat down in a chair near his balcony, turning away from Oikawa’s questioning face. 

“I’m doing fine. This is all just a bit… overwhelming.”

Oikawa sat in the chair opposite him, “That’s understandable. Care to elaborate at all?”

Akaashi considered it. It wouldn’t hurt to talk things over a bit, sort out some of his concerns and frustrations. But at the same time, it wouldn’t solve anything. 

“I know you mean well, Tooru, but honestly just thinking about this at length makes me feel a little ill.”

“That might be a sign that you _need_ to talk about it."

Akaashi nodded bitterly, “You’re probably right, but I think I’ll put it off just a little longer.”

Oikawa sighed, “Keeping things bottled up will give you wrinkles, Kei-chan. I’m here to talk if you ever feel ready.”

He stood up and placed his hand on Akaashi’s shoulder, squeezing briefly before letting go and walking away, leaving Akaashi alone with his thoughts. 

The last bits of light were disappearing past the horizon, and Akaashi could hear that the bright hum of insects at dusk was quieting to the dull song of night. He sat there long enough that the heat gave way to a chilly breeze, and he hugged himself to stay warm. 

_“How are you feeling?”_

Tooru’s words echoed in his head, and Akaashi found that no matter how hard he tried to think of an adequate answer, he just felt empty. A dark void had opened within his chest, sucking any potential feelings into its hungry grasp. 

_Just one._ He thought, staring out across the dark expanse of desert that lay outside his room. _Identify just one emotion that you can tell Tooru about the next time he asks._

And finally, one swam to the front of his mind. 

_Lonely. I feel lonely._


	2. Chapter 2

Wedding preparations were a real pain in the ass. 

Akaashi ruefully thought this had never been truer than now, as a nervous tailor took the measurements for his waist. He’d had at least three pins stabbed into the area around his hips by now. 

“I’m so sorry, your highness! Please excuse my clumsiness, I’ll be finished in just a moment.” The tailor added another two pins to his measuring tape, thankfully managing to avoid making contact with skin. 

A foreign wedding meant that Akaashi had to be outfitted with all new clothes in the style of the country he was marrying into. This man had been sent down all the way from Fukurodani to take his measurements and consult with him about what he would be wearing. 

Akaashi was sure he was a wonderful tailor, but losing coordination when faced with the back end of a prince was an unfortunate trait for his profession. 

Finally, the man stepped away from his ass and used the pins he’d placed to write down the numbers he needed. “All done!” he announced, sounding as relieved as Akaashi was that the ordeal was over. 

Akaashi sighed and stepped down from the small platform he’d been standing on as he was treated like a human voodoo doll. 

“Will that be all you need, Konoha-san?” he asked, the words feeling strange as he spoke in the other man’s language. He’d been practicing hard since his mother had informed him of the engagement, but the cadence of the language still felt clumsy on his tongue. Honestly, he just hoped that he didn’t sound as stupid as he felt. 

“Well…” the tailor replied, “Wouldn’t you like to discuss the details of what I’m making for you? There are some traditional elements that have to be included, but there are certainly some things that can be personalized.”

“I’m sure that whatever you design will be beautiful.” Akaashi assured him, “I really don’t have any preferences you need to be aware of. I only ask that you create something that your people and prince will appreciate.”

Konoha bowed deeply, “I will do my best, your highness.”

Akaashi returned the bow and watched with relief as the other man left. As far as he knew, the basic sewing would be completed here in Karasuno, and then the garment would be taken back to Fukurodani to be finished. Frankly, he was relieved he wouldn’t have to see himself in the getup until it was too late to back out. 

The whole ordeal was moving towards him at an alarming speed. In a mere month, he would be shipped away and after two weeks at sea he would be in his new home. He hated to admit it, but he was dragging out the process as much as he could. Anything that needed to be okayed by him was being put off until the last second, to the point that his mother had started making decisions for him. 

But it really was about time he chose someone to go with him. 

Akaashi let himself collapse onto his bed with a sigh, ignoring how he was messing up the freshly made linens. 

He turned his face towards the window and idly stared as he thought about the decision. Most of his friends and family would come to his wedding, of course, but he had the option of asking someone to stay with him as a permanent resident of the court in Fukurodani. 

All of his family was out of the question. After all, if they were expendable they would be the ones getting married. 

But he felt guilty about asking any of his friends or servants. They had lives here. It would be cruel to ask them to up and leave just so that he would be less lonely. 

Perhaps he would just tell his mother that he was comfortable going alone. It would be a lie, but a convenient one.

* * *

“There’s no way in hell I’m letting you go alone, Keiji.” Oikawa buzzed in his ear, keeping pace with Akaashi as he hurried down the hallway. 

“We’ll discuss this later, right now I have places to be. It’s really not as dramatic as you’re making it out to be.” Akaashi might have predicted that Tooru would react badly to his announcement, but there was really no need to make a scene. 

He was tugged to a stop as Oikawa grabbed his arm and forced him to slow down. “Bullshit.”

Akaashi fully faced his friend, irritation melting away as he saw the genuine concern in the other man’s eyes. 

Oikawa sounded wounded when he said, “You should have asked me.” 

Akaashi tried to explain, “I didn’t want anyone to feel obligated to accompany me. You have a place here, Tooru, I can’t ask you to give that up.” 

“Oh, please.” Oikawa replied angrily, “That’s a lie and you know it.”

Akaashi was taken aback by the other man’s tone, “What do you…?”

“I haven’t had a place here since you and I ruined that mission to Johzenji. The only reason I’m even still here is because you refused to let your mother throw me back out onto the streets.” 

Akaashi flinched at the harsh words, “She would never…”

“Yes, she would.” Oikawa interrupted him again, “It’s the same reason why she chose you to go to Fukurodani, Keiji. We’ve lost our value.”

This wasn’t anything Akaashi hadn’t already deduced for himself, but it was still harsh to hear out loud. 

Before Johzenji, he and Oikawa had been a diplomatic dream team. Between the two of them, Akaashi was flawlessly educated on courtly manners, customs and rules, and Oikawa had the street smarts and charm to get them just about anything. Before either of them had even turned twenty-five, they’d arranged almost a dozen treaties on Karasuno’s behalf. 

And then there was the Johzenji mission—a fiasco that had single-handedly derailed their function within the court. 

To make a very long story short: Akaashi’s position made it impossible for him to politely decline the advances of a certain prince. Oikawa had acted for him. The Johzenji prince left with a bloody nose, and an agreement between the two provinces was never reached. 

They’d come home in disgrace for not only failing to obtain a treaty, but also for resorting to violence in a diplomatic setting. 

Oikawa had worked his entire life to climb the ranks of the diplomatic service, and he’d thrown it all away in a moment of brash loyalty. 

Akaashi was at a loss for words, “I’m… Tooru, I don’t know what to say.”

“An apology would be a good start.” Oikawa responded tersely. 

Akaashi nodded, “Yes, I’m sorry. You’re right—I should have discussed this with you before I told everyone I would be staying in Fukurodani alone.”

Oikawa huffed, “Damn right you should’ve.”

“I just…” Akaashi tried to explain, but the words were hard to find. “I just know that leaving behind Karasuno is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” 

His throat felt tight as he confessed how he felt, but he had to finish, “And I… I didn’t want to put anyone else through that with me.” 

He turned his gaze downwards, afraid to see how Oikawa would react to this lapse in composure. 

“Oh, Keiji…” The anger seemed to have left Oikawa’s tone, “You have to understand that watching you do this alone would be harder for me than leaving behind anything I have here.”

Akaashi nodded vigorously, shaking away the teary feeling that was threatening to overcome him. 

“So what you’re saying is…” He finally raised his head and made eye contact with his friend, “We should be moderately miserable in Fukurodani together, instead of completely miserable apart?”

Oikawa grinned, “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Akaashi informed his mother of the change in plans that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize this one is a little shorter and not as fun--I have to lay some groundwork for the events ahead. Thank you to everyone who left kudos and commented, it really means a lot to me. Next chapter we'll have a wedding! (/^▽^)/


	3. Chapter 3

The trip to Fukurodani did not portend well for Akaashi’s new life there. As they left the coast of Karasuno, it took only a few days for there to be a noticeable shift in the weather. The blinding sun was covered by overcast skies, and windy weather led to rough seas. 

The constant rocking and pitch of the ship had some unpleasant effects on its occupants, who spent most of their time trying to sleep through their nausea. 

Akaashi knew that the climate would change as they went north, of course. But as he miserably lay in bed it was hard to see the weather as anything but an ill omen. 

Once they finally made land fall in Fukurodani, everyone on board stumbled onto shore, grateful to have steady ground under their feet. After days of the constant movement on the ship, Akaashi felt like his legs were still unsure if they could trust the ground beneath them. 

He was still trying to locate his mother amidst the crowd getting off the boat when a booming, heavily accented voice shouted, “Welcome to Fukurodani! We are greatly pleased by your safe arrival.”

The words were coming from a tall, broad-shouldered man accompanied by a small host of mounted soldiers. Akaashi felt his face wrinkle slightly in confusion at the man’s eccentrically dyed hair—he wasn’t sure if it had originally been gray or black, but it was now a wild combination of both that seemed to defy gravity. 

“Once you’re organized, we will be happy to escort you to Hyltan Keep. I invite the queen and my intended to come forward and ride with my captain and I.”

Akaashi felt like he’d swallowed a rock as it settled in his mind that this was Bokuto Koutarou. And he was expected to ride all the way to the castle with his fiancé. He glanced back at the ocean, briefly considering the option of just drowning himself. 

As if sensing his intentions, Oikawa appeared next to him, blocking his view of the water. “I assume that invitation extends to me, of course. What do you think your mom would do if we just introduced me as Akaashi Keiji, instead? It’s not like Stripey-kun would know the difference.”

Akaashi couldn’t stop himself from grinning, “She might just let it happen to avoid the embarrassment of exposing our lie. And then she’d have us both assassinated.”

Oikawa nodded, “Sounds about right, lets go.”

They started walking towards the entourage of heavily armed men, Akaashi pulling his coat closer to his body as a cold breeze kicked up. Oikawa boldly led the way, seeming to have no qualms about meeting these foreigners. Akaashi did his best to follow his example, concentrating on keeping his face neutral and unaffected, although he couldn’t keep himself from trailing just a few steps behind his friend, using the other’s confidence as a shield. 

By the time they reached the top of the hill, Akaashi’s mother was already speaking with Bokuto. 

She smiled when she saw them, “Prince Koutarou,” she said in the local language, “this is my son Keiji and his dear friend, Oikawa Tooru. Tooru will be staying here in Fukurodani with my son after the wedding; I think you will find them both quite useful.

Koutarou grinned broadly, “It is a pleasure to met you both! My parents are very pleased with this arrangement and the benefits it will provide for both of our nations.”

He bowed in the Western style to them both, bending at the waist. “I’m so glad that you have brought a friend with you, Prince Keiji. You are both very welcome here and if either of you need anything at all, please let either myself or Tetsurou know.”

Their eyes followed his finger to one of the soldiers, “That’s my Captain, Kuroo Tetsurou. I trust him with my life, so please feel free to tell him anything you would tell me.”

So far, Akaashi was pleased that his fiancé appeared to have no intention of making him talk. He would fill in the silence for both of them. As the other man babbled, he nodded pleasantly and paid close attention to the information he was being given. Although the majority of it seemed empty, you could never be sure what would become important to know. 

“We brought some extra horses for you!” Bokuto told them, leading them to a group of five horses tethered together in a line. “Some of the castle staff are on their way to help your people get to the Keep and transport your things, but I wanted to bring you all there myself.”

Akaashi untied a handsome chestnut mare, patting her neck gently before checking to make sure her saddle was on correctly. As he was about to get on, Bokuto appeared beside him, holding out his hand. 

He stared for a moment, unsure of what the other man was doing, before realizing that he was offering to help him mount his horse. He stood there for another moment, a little affronted that he was being treated like he didn’t know how to ride. But Koutarou was looking at him so earnestly, his hand still extended. 

Akaashi took the offered hand, giving his fiancé a tight smile as he did so. “Thank you.” he said softly, hoping that his accent wasn’t as terrible as he feared. 

Bokuto gave them a running commentary of where they were throughout the entire trip, with the occasional interjection by his captain. The other men stayed quiet, riding around them in a way that made Akaashi feel slightly claustrophobic. 

Above them the sky was gray and oppressive, pressing down on him in a way that felt heavy and stifling. He felt hyper-aware of every breath he took and when he swallowed the sound was uncomfortably loud. As he took in the sharp contrast of rocky terrain with lush greenery, thoughts of how he was going to be left here alone crept into his mind. This wasn’t some diplomatic mission that would end with a trip home. 

He forced himself to take several deep breaths, trying to bring Bokuto’s voice back into focus. It had faded as his thoughts grew dark, but if he could bring it back, perhaps it would help drown out his own internal voice. 

“… I hope that none of you are too cold. The few times I’ve been to Karasuno the heat was incredible, but there are fireplaces in every room of the Keep. If you need help using them, just call a servant. They’re all delighted by your arrival; all of them thought I’d ever settle down, apparently, so they can’t wait to meet the new prince.”

A fireplace. That would be wonderful. He focused on memories of a warm hearth on a cold day, letting them chase away the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. After dinner he would be allowed to go to his room and sit in front of a fire, alone. 

Gradually the sound of his heart slowed, calming as his breathing evened out. He shook his head in an attempt to dispel the last remnants of his panic, mentally berating himself for being so easily overwhelmed. 

Eventually, the silhouette of Hyltan Keep was visible on the horizon, and Akaashi had to admit it was impressive. A tall, stone wall encircled the entire structure, and the castle itself appeared to be stone as well. It looked strong and sturdy, capable of withstanding just about anything. 

“We’ve arrived!” Bokuto announced near the front of their procession. “We’ll guide you to the stables so we can drop off the horses, and then we’ll take you to your rooms to prepare for dinner.”

They left their horses with several capable-looking stable hands. Akaashi couldn’t help but admire the man who took his mare—he was tall and tan with warm brown eyes, and his body had obviously been sculpted by hard work. Judging by the way Oikawa was carefully positioning himself so that the same stable hand also took his horse, Akaashi mused that he had also noticed the attractive man. 

The prince and his captain excused themselves to take care of some business before dinner, and a guard led the group of guests to their rooms. 

“You’re in a different wing of the castle, Prince Keiji,” their guide informed him after showing his mother and Oikawa where they would be staying. “because you’re staying here permanently. We’ll have a room closer to yours ready for your friend within the next few days.”

They went deeper into the Keep, Akaashi feeling slightly awestruck by the sheer size of this structure. The palace in Karasuno was large, of course, but the open design of it made it feel more like a compound than one massive building. 

Hyltan Keep was the opposite of open, with heavy rock making up the floor and walls, completely encasing the people inside. Large tapestries hung from the ceilings, covering up the stone with dense fabric that Akaashi thought probably acted as insulation. The windows were high up, spilling light down from above but offering little view of the outside. 

His room was slightly less reminiscent of a dungeon than the hallways, with two large windows that let him look out into the yard. He was also pleased to see that they both had window seats, allowing him to comfortably sit and watch anything happening outside. 

The bed was large and he flopped down on to it as soon as his guide had dismissed himself. He buried his head in the soft, downy pillows, allowing himself a few minutes to just lay here and accept his own despair. 

He was still face down and motionless when there was a heavy knock on the door. 

“I’m coming in!” Oikawa called before opening the door and finding him on the bed. “Really, Keiji, you’re trying to suffocate yourself already?”

Akaashi just groaned.

“Get up. We have to make you look absolutely devastating for dinner, you know.”

“Why?” Akaashi asked, turning his head just a little to make himself heard. 

Oikawa clicked his tongue, “Because beauty is intimidating, and you want everyone here to be at least a little scared of you.”

Akaashi sighed, “But maybe if I look awful, Prince Koutarou will just send me home. Besides, our things aren’t even here yet.”

Oikawa plopped down onto his bed next to him, laying his head down next to Akaashi’s. “We don’t have clothes, but you know I keep my beauty supplies on my person at all times. Some days the only thing between poverty and me is my perfect hair. I don’t entrust that to others.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes and tucked his face back into his pillow. 

He felt Oikawa shift a little next to him, “I’m serious, Keiji. You have to show all these people that you are put together and fearless. It’s best to get that armor up now.”

The bed creaked a little as Akaashi reluctantly sat up, “Well. You better get started then.”

* * *

Dinner was an uninteresting affair. There was a tremendous amount of food, and Akaashi was grateful that he could avoid speaking almost entirely by strategically stuffing food into his mouth. 

By the end of the meal, he had deduced that his fiancé was a well-meaning simpleton. The prince of Fukurodani was loud and friendly, stumbling his way through the Karasuno language in an attempt to communicate with everyone at the table. 

His parents were quieter, but equally amiable. Overall, no one they had met so far seemed particularly hostile. Akaashi was relieved that, at least as far as he had seen, there wasn’t a great deal of drama associated with the upcoming marriage. He would have to investigate a little further, but so far it didn’t seem like he would be assassinated anytime soon. 

After dinner, Akaashi excused himself to go back to his room. He was looking forward to using the fireplace. 

There was a small metal box next to the hearth in his room full of firewood, and a smaller box of kindling. He’d just lain down a bed of twigs to start the fire, when there was a knock at the door. 

“Come in!” he called over his shoulder, fully expecting Oikawa to have come to discuss what they thought of the people they’d met at dinner. 

Instead, a timid voice called, “Your highness, Prince Koutarou has requested your presence.”

Akaashi felt a cold, slimy feeling slip down his spine. He turned and saw a small servant girl was waiting nervously at the door. 

He stood up slowly, “I see.”

“I can take you to his rooms, if you don’t know the way. They aren’t far at all.”

Akaashi nodded briskly, “I would appreciate that very much.”

It turned out that by ‘not far at all’ the maid had meant right next door. Akaashi realized with a sinking feeling that the locked door he’d noticed in his room earlier likely connected with Koutarou’s. 

The girl knocked on the door before opening it slowly, announcing, “Your highness, I’ve brought Prince Keiji.”

She turned to him and gestured for him to enter. 

_Deep breath. No expression. You can do this._ Akaashi thought to himself, forcing his shoulders back and his feet forward. He nodded gratefully to the servant and walked past her into his fiancé’s room. 

It was very similar to his own, although there was only one window. Fukorodani’s prince was seated at a desk, but he stood upon Akaashi’s entrance. 

“Thank you for coming to speak with me. Would you sit down?” he asked politely, gesturing to a second seat at the desk. 

Akaashi was a little surprised by the difference between the mannerisms Bokuto had displayed earlier and how he was behaving now. This man seemed more careful and a great deal quieter. 

He did as he was asked, sitting in the chair indicated by Bokuto. “I’m happy to oblige your request, Prince Koutarou. Although,” he started carefully, “I must admit I’m curious about why I’m here.” 

Bokuto sat down next to him and nodded, “That’s reasonable. I just wanted to talk to you a little before we walk down the aisle, you know?”

Akaashi felt one of his eyebrows threatening to rise and had to restrain himself. “What would you like to talk about?”

“Well…” the other man leaned back, “I don’t know. I guess there’s some things we should work out. You know Fukurodani still has a consummation law, don’t you?”

Akaashi felt his spine stiffen and his eyes widen, despite his best efforts to stay neutral. He was already aware of the law, of course, but he hadn’t expected it to come up so indelicately.

“But we don’t need to worry about it!” Bokuto hurried to clarify, “This is why I want to talk to you, because we should figure this stuff out beforehand. The law is super old and nobody really cares anymore. As long as I spend an hour or two in your room after the wedding, nobody will say anything.”

Some of the tension in Akaashi’s shoulders relaxed, and then the full weight of Bokuto’s words settled on him. He almost felt the urge to laugh, it was such a relief that he wouldn’t actually have to sleep with his husband. “That’s… That’s very kind, and I must admit it’s quite the relief, Bokuto-sama.”

“I bet!” Bokuto smiled at him, “Imagine how awkward that would be.”

“I’d rather not.” Akaashi replied with a straight face. 

Bokuto threw his head back and laughed, and Akaashi couldn’t keep back a small grin. His amusement was contagious. 

“What else do we need to talk about?” Bokuto wondered aloud, “Are your rooms okay? Do you need anything? I hope you won’t be afraid to talk to me about anything. Although we’ve met in strange circumstances, I think we can still be friends.”

It was such a strange request from someone he was marrying in a week: friendship. Akaashi felt himself nod, “I hope so. My rooms are very good. I’m especially happy with the large windows.”

Bokuto beamed, “I thought you would like them!”

“If that’s all you wanted to discuss, Bokuto-sama, I don’t think I have anything to ask.” Akaashi hinted, hoping that they could end this conversation. Bokuto may be friendly, but he was still anxious to extricate himself from this situation. 

The other man wilted a little, noticing how reluctant Akaashi was to stay and talk. 

“Well… there are just a couple other things I want to clarify. You, um, you understand what your position in court is, don’t you?” Bokuto asked, fidgeting a little. 

Akaashi’s eyes narrowed, “I believe so, I am the prince’s consort.”

Bokuto sighed, “But do you know what that means? Basically you’re being put in a position to assist and advise me. Your opinion and insights will be invaluable as we prepare to fight Shiratorizawa, and I plan on trusting you.”

For a brief moment Bokuto’s eyes turned sharp, and Akaashi felt self-conscious as Bokuto said, “I trust that you won’t betray my confidence.”

As quickly as it came, the serious tone was gone, “And I’m sure you noticed, but there’s a door between our rooms. It locks from both sides, so you don’t have to worry about, I don’t know…” Bokuto rubbed his neck awkwardly, “Me going in there. Or something. But I’ll probably leave my side unlocked most of the time. In case you need anything.”

“Thank you.” Akaashi replied, bowing a little before remembering that it wasn’t customary here. He also realized with some embarrassment that he’d been using the honorary suffix from his own language, rather than ‘prince.’ _Honestly,_ he thought to himself, _what kind of diplomat are you?_

Bokuto opened the door for him, and as Akaashi walked back to his own room he couldn’t help but think that perhaps his fiancé wasn’t the simpleton he’d taken him for.

* * *

His outfit was beautiful. Akaashi honestly never could have guessed that the clumsy tailor could create something like this. 

“It’s exquisite, Konoha-san.” Akaashi told the tailor what he was thinking, and the blonde man smiled. 

“You said to create something the prince would like, and I think Koutarou and his family will be very pleased with this. I’m sure you know that the family crest is of an owl, and the bird is also a part of our flag. It will please the people of Fukurodani very much to see you embrace your new home this way.” Konoha explained. 

For his wedding he would be wearing a cape that fell all the way to the floor. It was a dusky golden color, and the bottom edge was trimmed with black. But the true beauty of the garment came from the collar, which was artfully decorated with feathers. 

When Akaashi put it on, the plumage came all the way up to his ears, framing his face with brown, white, and grey feathers. He felt like a bird of prey in his cape, like he could challenge anyone who opposed him. 

He’d been doubtful about how he would take to the fashion of Fukurodani, but he was impressed by how functional and beautiful the outfit Konoha had crafted for him was. Besides the cape, he was wearing a loosely fitted white shirt that neatly tucked into a pair of obscenely soft deerskin pants. The trousers fit tightly and met his boots at the knee, and honestly the shoes might be Akaashi’s favorite part. After a life full of sandals and moccasins, he felt like he could crush anything beneath these heavy, strung-up boots. 

Perhaps in these clothes, he could find the bravery to get married.

* * *

No. Nope. Never mind. No outfit could possibly prepare him to go through the gigantic oak doors in front of him. 

Akaashi could hear music and people on the other side, and he would give almost anything to not have to go through. Perhaps if he ran for it now, nobody would notice anything was wrong until it was too late to catch him.

As if she could smell his flight instinct kicking in, his mother grabbed his arm in a way that was likely meant to be comforting. Instead it just felt restrictive. 

They were in a small room connected to the chapel of Hyltan Keep, and in mere moments it would be time for Akaashi to swear his life away to a friendly stranger with bizarre hair. 

The cue for their entrance was a new song being played by the musicians, significantly louder than the background music they’d been playing before. 

Akaashi felt his head swim with anxiety as the doors were opened from the other side, and he was exposed to everyone. They all stood up and looked back, and for a moment Akaashi felt like he couldn’t possibly move. 

A sharp pinch shocked him out of his state, delivered by his smiling mother, who was offering him her arm. With a deep breath, he took it, and they walked forward into the chapel. 

The smooth, composed look that Akaashi had been practicing for more than a decade fell into place now, allowing him to smile serenely at the gathered crowd. He chose to look at the guests rather than forward, at where Bokuto and the priest were waiting. But eventually the rows of people ran out, and he was forced to look up. 

He couldn’t deny that Koutarou looked stunning. The prince of Fukurodani also wore a cape—black and trimmed with feathers at the bottom rather than the collar. His hair had been tamed into a more courtly style, combed to the side with an elegant golden circlet resting on his head. 

His mother let go of his arm, taking a brief moment to kiss his cheek before moving to stand with the king and queen of Fukurodani. Akaashi moved up to the altar alone. 

The music stopped and the ceremony began. 

To be honest, Akaashi wasn’t quite sure what he agreed to at that altar, the pounding in his ears was far too loud for him to distinguish what was being said. He just nodded and muttered, “Yes.” whenever the priest appeared to be asking him a question. 

A red ribbon was tied tightly around his wrist, connecting him with Bokuto. It forced their hands so close together that he could feel the other man’s fingers brush against his. 

Looking down at the way their hands were entwined, Akaashi dwelled on how the ribbon resembled handcuffs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, yis, we've now met everyone in the tags! I'm really grateful for the support I've gotten so far, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story with me!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're interested, this is the song I imagined for the dancing scene in this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v8zxoEoA_Q,
> 
> It's a little too long for the scene, but it really helped me write and visualize it, so turn it on at the asterisk if you'd like.(✿◠‿◠)

Akaashi was learning very quickly that the people of Fukurodani knew how to have a good time. After the ceremony, they had been led out of the chapel and into a ballroom, where everyone in attendance immediately started drinking.

Akaashi tried to ignore the fact that he was still forcibly connected to his new husband, the tie around their wrists tugging every time Bokuto tried to talk with his hands. Which was often. 

“Hey!” Bokuto turned to him, “Do you want something to drink?”

Akaashi’s eyes drifted over to where his mother was sitting then snapped back to Bokuto, “Yeah. Yeah I do.”

They walked over to a massive banquet table that appeared to be filled entirely with different kinds of alcohol. 

“Here, this is really good.” Bokuto said, handing him a small glass, “But be careful, it burns going down.”

Akaashi took the offered drink, swallowing it smoothly. It did have a bite to it, but he refused to let it show on his face. 

He placed the glass down on the table, “You’re going to have to do better than that, Prince Koutarou.”

Bokuto looked delighted, “Yeah, let’s go!”

While his husband prepared more drinks for them, Akaashi shot one last glance at his mother. She had noticed the two of them and was giving him a disapproving look. He felt a stab of petty satisfaction as he smiled at her and took another shot from Bokuto. 

It became progressively easier to enjoy the party as the liquor made it’s way into his blood. His body warmed up, loosening his muscles in a way that felt heavenly after days of tension. 

Bokuto grasped his arm to get his attention, “Hey, hey, the orchestra will be starting soon. Do you wanna go take our capes off so we can dance? Do you know how to dance?”

Akaashi smiled, “Of course, Prince Koutarou. I love to dance.”

Bokuto lit up, “That’s great! Let’s go put these away…”

Koutarou led him out of the ballroom and towards a small gaggle of waitstaff, who agreed to take their things back to their rooms. By the time they returned, the music had started.* 

A spell seemed to have been cast on the room while they had stepped out. The people who had been ambling around before had organized themselves into couples, gliding across the floor. 

The song was haunting and seductive, and Akaashi closed his eyes for a moment, feeling how it was changing the atmosphere of the room. He hadn’t heard western style music since the Johzenji incident, and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it. 

He reopened his eyes, taking in how the light glinted off the gowns of dozens of ladies. Shoes tapped lightly to the beat, boots clacking on the floor as they danced. 

“Should we dance?” Bokuto asked, pulling Akaashi’s attention back towards him. 

Akaashi nodded, feeling relieved that between the alcohol and the music, the tight knot of anxiety that had been nestled tightly in his stomach for days was unraveling. 

Bokuto put his free hand on Akaashi’s waist, pulling him closer and guiding him into a graceful waltz. 

Akaashi fell into step easily. He’d danced with dozens of people at parties just like this, and it felt natural as breathing to do so now. He could almost forget that they were all celebrating his marriage. It was easy to get caught up in the muscle memory of dancing and admiring his surroundings. 

They weaved through the other couples easily, Bokuto steering him confidently without being overbearing. His shoulders felt strong where Akaashi was resting his hand, and the hand at his waist was warm and comforting. 

“You’re good at this, Bokuto-sama.” Akaashi commented.

Bokuto blushed, “Yeah… it was one of the only classes I paid attention to as a kid. I liked anything that involved moving around instead of just sitting and listening. You… you’re also very good.”

Akaashi nodded, “I also enjoy dancing. When I was in the diplomatic service it was a valuable skill to have.” 

A light appeared behind Bokuto’s eyes, “So… if we got a little creative… could you keep up?”

Akaashi hesitated, it had been a while since he’d done anything but basic steps with a partner… plus they might start drawing attention. He would hate to make a scene. But a sly voice in his head whispered, _Why shouldn’t I make a scene? This is my party._

He stepped closer to Bokuto, their chests touching. “I can keep up.”

They started out slow, moving the same way they had before. But Bokuto slowly led him into double time, their feet moving quickly to match the escalating melody. Akaashi felt a little reckless as they cleared a space in the center of the dance floor, people moving away as they began moving faster. 

Bokuto let go of his waist, quickly releasing him outwards and spinning him beneath his arm before drawing him back in. He wasn’t in Bokuto’s arms for a second before he was thrown out again, spinning in the opposite direction. Neither of them missed a beat, gliding forward and back in harmony.

His partner was smiling when he returned back, “You are good.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow, “Did you think I was lying?”

Bokuto shook his head, “No… I just thought our definitions of good might be different.”

The melody slowed slightly, and Bokuto led him through a lazy series of turns around him. Bokuto stood as an anchor in the middle as he spun, the speed gradually increasing with a rise in the music. Just as he began to get dizzy, Bokuto let him fall out of the turns into a slight dip, quickly pulling him back up again. 

Akaashi felt breathless. His feet felt like they hardly touched the ground with how effortlessly they moved. He kept falling and rising again, Bokuto’s arm going slack to let him spin out or drop before going taut again, reeling him back. 

Bokuto danced the way he spoke. Bold. Not completely thought out. But Akaashi found that the spontaneous movements were easy to keep up with as long as he was paying attention. Even though he wasn't leading, he was able to smooth out any rough edges just by following Bokuto's lead.

“Are you having fun?” Bokuto asked him, grinning playfully. 

Akaashi raised an eyebrow, “No.”

Bokuto scoffed, “Don’t lie. You haven’t stopped smiling since the music started.”

Akaashi was a little surprised to notice that he was right. His cheeks actually hurt a little. 

His feet abruptly left the ground as Bokuto drew his body close and lifted him into the air so they were nose to nose. Akaashi looked away, flushing slightly until Bokuto put him back down and spun him out. 

“And what about you, Bokuto-sama? Are you having fun?” he asked when they were face to face again.

“I am.” Bokuto replied without a moment’s hesitation. 

The music was rising again, and Akaashi felt like his heart was swopping upward with it. He felt keenly aware of how close they were. Koutarou had bright golden eyes that were focused solely on him. It made him feel like he needed to cover something up. 

Akaashi was led through another series of turns in quick succession. “You’re making me dizzy.”

“Well, I do have that effect on some people.” Bokuto joked. 

“Correction, the turns are making me dizzy.” Akaashi replied, refusing to acknowledge the flirtation. 

“Oh.” Bokuto pouted a little. “Disappointing.”

“But really, could we go get some more drinks? My head is spinning.”

Bokuto nodded and let go of his waist, “Sure, but I doubt more drinking will help with that.”

Looking around, Akaashi saw that quite a few people were watching them. They really had made a scene, then. In particular, he could see Tooru making a face at him from where he was sitting across the room. His eyebrows were raised questioningly, but Akaashi just turned away. He wasn’t in the mood for Oikawa’s teasing. 

He could feel another pair of eyes burning into him, but Akaashi refused to even look in their direction. His mother’s disapproving gaze felt like a brand on his neck. He really wasn’t acting properly at all, getting drunk and dancing like a circus performer. 

But somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to care. She would be gone in two days anyway, so what did her opinion matter? 

Akaashi took another drink from Bokuto, and firmly tucked any reservations he still had into the back of his mind.

* * *

Akaashi wasn’t quite sure how he’d wound up on Bokuto’s bed tucked between two drunken men. But somehow they were here. 

On one side, his new husband was roaring with laughter, and on the other Captain Tetsurou was telling a story about some of his men mistaking a prostitute for an enemy spy. 

Akaashi was a little too dazed to fully appreciate the humor behind the situation, so he just smiled whenever it seemed like the right thing to do. 

They’d met up with Kuroo shortly after they’d finished dancing, and Bokuto had insisted that they needed to get to know each other. Akaashi hadn’t really been in a position to argue, so he didn’t protest when Bokuto had suggested that they all go up to his bedroom together.

Considering how comfortable he was now, it had been an excellent idea. It was easy to just get lost in the warmth surrounding him and the sound of Bokuto laughing. 

He was forcibly brought back down to earth when Kuroo finished his story and commented, “You know, you two could at least pretend like you’re doing each other right now.”

Akaashi blushed hard, and Bokuto looked scandalized. He reached over Akaashi to smack his friend.

“Tetsu! Don’t be so crude!”

“I’m just saying!” Kuroo defended himself, “You guys could at least fake like you’re following the law, instead of just laughing up here with me. What if… what if you get in trouble?”

Bokuto bristled, “Why would we get in trouble? How would we even fake that, anyway?”

“I don’t know! Start moaning or something.”

Akaashi wanted to melt into the floor. The comfortable feeling from earlier was completely gone. 

“As if you would even know, Tetsu, you big virgin.”

Kuroo gasped, “You promised not to tell anybody!”

Akaashi desperately hoped he wouldn’t remember this in the morning. 

Eventually, their bickering died down, and Bokuto turned to him. 

“We don’t have to do anything we don’t want to, Keiji.” Bokuto insisted, “Fake or otherwise. I am the prince, after all. I can just change the rules.”

Akaashi nodded, refusing to make eye contact with either of them. “Thank you, Bokuto-sama. I think I’d like to go to bed now.”

“Oh! Okay, um… Goodnight then.”

Akaashi squirmed out from between them, his head still foggy enough to make the task harder than it needed to be. 

As he left, he could hear Bokuto start to berate Kuroo, “Great fuckin’ job, Tetsu, you made him leave…” before the door closed. 

He stumbled back to his room, managing to drink some water and wash his face before collapsing into bed. 

It was horribly cold in his room, even beneath all his blankets. He wrapped his arms around himself, knowing that eventually he would warm up. Still, the frigid air around him made him wish he was back in Bokuto’s room. 

He could hear the other two through the wall—it sounded like they had stopped fighting and had gone back to joking around. 

By the time he fell asleep, they were still laughing, and he was still cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That dancing scene was only supposed to last like... two seconds, but somehow I just got caught up in it. Pls imagine with me baby Bokuto squirming in math class because he wants to go to dance so bad...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's chapter 5, and you know what that means. Time for the sub-plot relationship!(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Tooru spent less than 20 seconds trying to get Akaashi out of bed before calling it a lost cause. His friend wasn’t a morning person on even the best of days, and one look at his murderous, bloodshot eyes told Oikawa that any attempts at communication would end badly. 

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly and went into the bathroom to fetch a cup and a jug of water. In his absence, Keiji seemed to have retreated to the depths of his blankets. 

“There’s a glass of water on your nightstand, drink all of it. We’ll talk later.” Oikawa was dying to ask questions about everything he’d seen last night, but it seemed like talking would just have to wait. 

He patted the lump he assumed was Keiji and left the room, wondering what he was supposed to do with his morning now. He’d really been looking forward to a quality gossip session, goddamn it. 

With a sigh, he decided that he’d better go check on their horses. The poor things had come with them from Karasuno, locked in the bottom of the boat for two weeks. They’d tried to exercise them, of course, but with the constant rocking of the ship, the animals had made it clear they would rather stay still. 

Oikawa made a quick stop at the kitchens, (He was already doing his best to get to know all the cooks—being acquainted with the kitchen staff meant good food and a good source of information.) and then sauntered down to the stables. 

The compound was huge—a soldier had explained to him last night that not only were the royal horses kept here, but also the majority of the cavalry. Tooru meandered through rows of stalls, hoping to stumble upon either his horse or somebody to help him. Hay and dust surrounded him in the familiar scent of a well-kept stable, mixed with the musky smell of hard-working animals.

Tooru loved places like these: the pedestrian branches of a palace, where people worked and talked without the binding formalities and customs of high society. He liked to see how the things that were enjoyed by courtesans were made and taken care of. It was interesting, and often he was able to gain insights about the royals from the way they treated their staff. 

Finally, he caught a glimpse of a platinum mane in one of the stalls ahead. He hurried over and found Akaashi’s mare there, looking right at home as she ate. Just across the aisle was his own horse, who started whining for attention when he recognized his rider. 

“Hey there, Commander!” Oikawa greeted fondly, hurrying over to pet him. “Did you miss me, Co-chan? I brought you something!”

He held out a cube of sugar he’d coaxed from one the cooks and stroked the horse’s nose as it was nuzzled out of his hand. 

“Be patient, I need to give one to Keiji’s horse too. You know she’s a jealous thing when it comes to sweets.”

Going back across the aisle, Oikawa dug a few more sugar cubes out of his pocket. At the sight, a large black stallion neighed in the next stall, looking at him with about as much longing as a horse is capable of. 

Oikawa chuckled and held out one of the treats, happy to give the horse what it wanted. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Oikawa jumped in surprise at the harsh voice. He looked around to see an angry stable hand marching up to him and snatching the rest of the sugar cubes from his hand. It took him a few moments to realize that he recognized the man—he’d met him briefly when they first arrived at Hyltan Keep. He was one of the men who had taken their horses. The cute one. 

“I… what?” Oikawa asked, disoriented by the sudden yelling and touching and also, _wow that was a sleeveless shirt._

“What. The fuck. Are you doing?” the man repeated slowly, drawing out the words like Tooru was an imbecile. 

Oikawa bristled, “I don’t really think that’s your business, Mr. Confrontational.”

“Oh, it is my business.” the angry man pushed on, “Because it looks like you were just feeding Captain Kuroo’s horse a bunch of trash. The leader of the cavalry. The purebred descendent of Thor. The lynchpin of our military operations. You were feeding him sugar cubes.”

Oikawa blinked hard. “Okay. Well. I only gave him one.”

The stable hand sighed in exasperation, “That’s not the point! You need to get out.”

“No, no! Listen!” Oikawa defended himself, “I won’t do it again! I didn’t come here to mess up your curated diet for the single most important horse in history. I just wanted to see how our horses from Karasuno were doing.”

The other man’s eyes widened, “Oh. You must be Prince Keiji’s escort then.”

Oikawa smiled, “That’s right.”

The tone of the room switched from aggressive to uncomfortable instantly, “I… um, I hope I didn’t offend you Sir….?”

“Tooru!” Oikawa offered quickly, “You can just call me Tooru. What’s your name?”

“I’m Hajime Iwazuimi.” he responded, rubbing his neck, “I didn’t mean to yell, sir, Panther is just a very important horse, and I didn’t know what you were giving him, and…”

Oikawa beamed, delighted that he had gained the upper hand in this conversation. “Oh, that’s alright, Hajime. I promise I won’t tell on you. Although, you really were awfully rude to me. I think you’ll have to make it up to me somehow…”

Iwazuimi stiffened and looked like he was about to defend himself before snapping his jaws shut. “Yes, sir” he grumbled. 

“I already told you, just call me Tooru.” Oikawa could tell that he was really laying it on thick, but irritating this man was turning out to be pretty entertaining. “I’ve decided what I want! Keiji is very busy with his new responsibilities as consort, so I have no one to ride with. You’ll just have to come with me every day on Aspen while I exercise Co-chan.”

Iwaziumi gaped at him, “Every day? Sir, I have things to do. I don’t have time to…”

“Ah-ah!” Oikawa interrupted him, “Isn’t exercising the horses one of your duties? Why not do it with me? If I have too much time by myself to think, I might decide that actually I am mad at you and tell your superiors about how you assaulted me…”

“I didn’t…!” Iwazuimi started to defend himself before just sighing dramatically. “I'm... fine.”

Oikawa clapped his hands, beaming in genuine pleasure. Not only was he guaranteed to see the pretty stable boy every day, he also had a new person to inflict his sadistic humor on. Keiji would be delighted.

“Well, I have too much to do today to go with you.” Oikawa lied, really just eager to go report his experience to his friend. “But I expect you here tomorrow at 10 o’clock to accompany me. We’ll have such a good time, Iwa-chan!”

Iwazuimi looked resigned, “Okay, I… what did you just call me?”

“Oh,” Oikawa waved his hand dismissively, “It’s a tradition in Karasuno to have nicknames for your friends, don’t worry about it.”

A muscle above Hajime’s eye twitched, “We’re not… If you’ll excuse me, I have chores to be doing. I’ll be here tomorrow.”

He turned around and walked away briskly, ignoring Oikawa when he called, “Good-bye, Iwa-chan! I can’t wait!”

Once the stable boy was out of earshot, Oikawa turned back to his horse. “Did you see that ass, Co-chan? What a blessing.” 

He gave his horse a few more strokes to the nose, before turning and heading back to Keiji’s room. Hangover be damned.

* * *

Keiji regretted every single decision he’d ever made. Throbbing pains lanced through his head, and his limbs were heavier than they had any right to be. Daring to venture out of the covers was disastrous, as the sun had transformed itself into a spear, determined to burn out his eyes. 

He huddled miserably in bed, clutching the cup of water Tooru had given him against his chest. It was empty. But he didn’t want to risk putting it back. 

Hopefully everyone else in the Keep was just as ill as he was, because he wouldn’t be accomplishing anything until at least dinner time. 

Suddenly. Tragedy struck. 

“Kei-chan!”

Before even opening the door, Tooru was yelling his name loud enough to make him wince. 

His door swung open with a bang, and Keiji wondered what he’d ever done to deserve this. 

“Keiji, I need to talk to you. I don’t care if you get out of bed, you just have to listen.”

Akaashi didn’t move. Maybe if he didn’t respond, Oikawa would just go away. A chair scraped across the floor, and he heard Tooru settle down next to his bed. Apparently not. 

“First.” Tooru began, “Did you drink all of your water?”

Keiji pushed the cup out from under the covers, letting it clatter to the ground next to Tooru’s feet. 

His friend clicked his tongue and picked it up, “Well… that’s good, I guess. Anyways, lets talk about me. Do you remember the stable boy from our first day here? The handsome one with pretty eyes and biceps thicker than your thighs?”

No response.

“I thought so, how could you forget him?” Oikawa continued, “Well he asked me on a date!”

For the first time, Akaashi’s interest was piqued. “Wait, really? he asked, words muffled by his blankets. 

“Well…” Oikawa drawled, “Not exactly. But we’re going riding together tomorrow. And we’re supposed to go every day after that.”

Akaashi considered just going back to his strategy of pretending he wasn’t there, but since Tooru was already here—he was kind of curious. 

Like Plato’s unchained caveman, he emerged from his blankets blinking and overwhelmed. With great reluctance, Keiji dragged his body into a sitting up position and fixed Tooru with tired eyes. “Well. Tell me what happened.”

Tooru smiled, “I guess, technically, I blackmailed him into spending time with me.”

Keiji rubbed his temples, “I’m disappointed. But not surprised.”

“His name is Iwazuimi Hajime,” Oikawa continued as if he hadn’t heard. “He’s so cute! Like a grumpy little hedgehog. He get’s all red and huffy when he’s mad. I went down to the stables to check on Co-chan and Aspen, and I brought them some sugar, and there was this pretty black horse that was just begging me to give him a treat too—but as I gave it to him, someone started yelling at me!” Oikawa said, throwing his hands back dramatically.

“Apparently, he’s some magical horse and feeding him sugar cubes is against the rules.” Oikawa rolled his eyes, “But once Iwa-chan realized that I was your escort, he was worried I would get him in trouble! So. I told him I’d stay quiet if he agreed to go riding with me every day.”

Tooru looked obscenely proud of himself, and Akaashi had to hide his head in hands and groan over his friend’s exploitative tendencies.

“Ugh, Kei-chan!” Oikawa whined at Keiji’s disapproval, “Why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“You’re ability to manipulate others never ceases to amaze me.”

“Rude!” Oikawa pouted, “I’m not manipulating him—I’m just using his fear to my advantage. Besides, it’s not like I’m asking him to do something difficult, he just has to spend time with me.”

Keiji gave him a dubious look, “The difficulty of that is debat…”

“No!” Oikawa cut him off, “Stop! Stop saying mean things to me! Besides…” Keiji suddenly felt deeply uncomfortable as Tooru’s expression morphed into a Cheshire grin. “That’s enough about me, let’s talk about you.”

Akaashi braced himself but said nothing. 

“You put on quite the show last night.” Oikawa teased, “Dancing and drinking—I actually saw you smiling while you were hanging off the prince’s arm. So, tell me. Where exactly did he drag you off to after that last shot of bourbon?”

They held eye-contact for a long moment, Tooru still giving him that shit-eating grin as Akaashi pressed his lips tight together. 

He took a deep breath, as if he was about to start talking, and Oikawa leaned forward. Before Tooru could do anything to stop him, Akaashi dove back under the covers, quickly pulling them tight all around him. 

Akaashi ignored Oikawa’s wails of betrayal and tucked himself in tighter, determined that this time he was never coming out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and supporting this story! I'm having such a good time, and I hope you all are too.


	6. Chapter 6

Water splashed against Akaashi’s face, dripping down his neck back into the washbasin. He patted his cheeks and gave himself a stern look in the mirror, pointing his finger at his reflection, “You need to get your shit together.”

Yesterday he’d hidden in bed all day, and that kind of behavior just wouldn’t do. He was the new royal consort of Fukurodani, and so far he was doing a terrible job. This morning he’d forced himself to get up at sunrise, and now he was going to go find his husband and figure out how to be helpful. 

And he needed to say good-bye to his entourage from Karasuno today. 

He continued to look at his reflection for a moment, watching as his face morphed from determination to uncertainty. It wasn’t like any of his acquaintances from court had been very helpful so far, but at least they were familiar. 

His eyes in the glass were wide, and Akaashi realized he was really dreading being left alone. He clicked his tongue in disgust and turned away from the mirror, striding purposefully towards the door. _Stop acting like a child, you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself. And Tooru is staying, so there’s really nothing to worry about._

The hallway was bustling with activity when he stepped out, servants hurrying to their morning posts, and a few courtesans going to early meetings. 

“Excuse me.” He gently pulled aside one of the girls he recognized as the one who brought him meals, “Do you know where Prince Koutarou is?”

She nodded, her eyes darting up to his face before fixating on the floor. “He spends his mornings in the sparring hall, your highness. Do… Do you know where that is?”

Akaashi shook his head. 

“I can take you there!” she offered earnestly, “I don’t want you to get lost.”

Akaashi bowed gratefully, “If it’s not too much trouble, I would appreciate that.”

They headed north, the little serving girl leading him to a staircase that took them down onto the ground level of the Keep. 

“Do you mind if I ask your name?” Akaashi asked as they walked. 

Her eyes grew wide, “No! Of course not. I’m Yachi. Hitoka. Yachi Hitoka.”

“May I call you Yachi?”

“Yes!” she squeaked, “Thank you!”

Akaashi smiled faintly, “I should be thanking you—I’ve played quite the spoiled prince making you bring food up to my room. I hope you’ll forgive me for inconveniencing you, and I’ll be sure to attend meals in the dining hall from now on.”

“Please don’t apologize!” Yachi looked ready to faint, “I don’t mind at all. We… we all want to do our best to take care of you for Prince Koutarou. You must be very brave to come here, and we want you to feel very welcome!”

Akaashi blinked hard, surprised by the genuine warmth in her voice, “That’s… that’s very kind of you.”

They continued walking until they reached a courtyard, surrounded by walls on three sides, but with an open ceiling and leading outdoors to what looked like an archery range. Akaashi could see several people practicing, but Yachi pointed towards a particularly ferocious pair. 

“He’s over there. Can I do anything else for you, your highness?”

Akaashi shook his head, “No, thank you very much for your help, Yachi.”

She scurried away, and Akaashi was left to watch Bokuto spar. 

They’d obviously been at it for a while, as both Bokuto and Kuroo were shiny with sweat and panting with exertion. Akaashi was a little too gay to ignore that they both looked good like this—trained muscles on display as they fought each other in hand-to-hand combat. 

He watched carefully, happy to go unnoticed for now. Bokuto appeared to be the stronger of the two, using techniques that challenged Kuroo directly and required short bouts of intensity. But Kuroo was sneakier, Akaashi noted, observing how he would present an obvious target to Bokuto, before dodging and taking advantage of an opening. 

The fight came to a head when Bokuto lunged at Kuroo, aiming low in an attempt to bring him to the ground. But Kuroo jerked sideways before Bokuto hit him, using Bokuto’s momentum to throw him down and pin him. He put his hands on either side of Bokuto’s head, gripping it in a way that would allow him to efficiently break his neck. 

“Got ya.” Kuroo smirked, patting Koutarou’s cheek teasingly before he climbed off. 

“Goddamn it.” Bokuto cursed, taking Kuroo’s hand to stand up. “You always manage to settle the score at the last second—we’re three to three now.”

“That’s because you use all your energy at the beginning, Bo. You need to pace yourself.”

Bokuto wiped his face off with a towel, “What’s the point in fighting if you’re not trying?”

Kuroo rolled his eyes, “You can try without putting in literally everything you have.”

His gaze caught on Akaashi, who stepped forward now that he’d been noticed. 

“Hey, Keiji, what are you doing here?” Kuroo asked.

“I was just looking for Prince Koutarou, but please don’t feel the need to stop for me.”

Kuroo smirked, “You could always join us. I’m pretty tired, but Bo is insatiable. Are you trained in hand-to-hand?”

Akaashi held Kuroo’s gaze for a long moment, knowing that this was a challenge of sorts. It seemed that Captain Tetsurou couldn’t stop himself from stirring things up when given the opportunity. He recognized the tendency as one Tooru used to understand people better and thought Kuroo likely shared the same motivation. 

“Of course, Captain.” Akaashi turned to Bokuto, “I’d like to practice with you, Koutarou.”

Bokuto eyes were wide and darting between his friend and his husband. He hesitated, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea…”

Keiji’s eyes narrowed, “Why not? It’s a never a bad idea to sharpen a skill. Unless you’re also worn out?”

“No, I can go again.” Bokuto appeared to be warming up to the idea, a smirk forming on his lips. “But I won’t go easy on you.”

Akaashi rolled up the sleeves on his shirt, securing them at his elbows. “I would be disappointed if you did.”

He stepped up onto the fighting platform and locked eyes with Bokuto, “I’m ready.”

Unsurprisingly, Bokuto immediately charged him head on, using the same strategy he’d just tried against Kuroo. Akaashi imitated what he’d seen the taller man do, stepping to the side and pushing down on Bokuto’s neck, sending the larger man sprawling. 

_I need to avoid getting caught on the ground_ Akaashi thought, strategizing as Bokuto got back into position. _If I pin him on his back, he’ll be able to flip us._

Bokuto was back up, but he was more hesitant this time. Akaashi could practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes. 

While Koutarou was still thinking about how he would attack next, Akaashi dropped low and swung a leg towards Bokuto’s legs. 

Bokuto stumbled but didn’t fall, quickly regaining his footing, and Akaashi swore as he caught hold of his extended ankle. 

He moved in towards Bokuto, refusing to hop on one foot until he inevitably fell. He pressed his knee into Bokuto’s chest as hard as he could, jumping up to shift his center of gravity upwards. They both fell to the ground, Akaashi quickly scrambling off of Bokuto’s chest and getting back to his feet 

Bokuto jumped up, and they stared at one another, their breathing heavy. 

“Damn, Bo, you might actually lose.” Akaashi heard Kuroo comment from the side. 

For just a moment, Keiji could see Koutarou’s focus shift from him to Kuroo, and he reacted instantly. He hit the ground and rolled past Bokuto, springing up so that he was behind his opponent. 

He kicked Koutarou square in the back, forcing him to his hands and knees. He planted his shin in the curve of Bokuto’s spine, pressing him down into the ground and wrapping an arm around his neck. 

Akaashi felt a thrill of satisfaction as he realized he’d won, and he sent Kuroo a smirk. Hopefully the Captain had learned what he wanted to. 

Bokuto squirmed pitifully on the ground, “No! I demand a rematch!”

Akaashi stood up and offered Bokuto a hand, “ I don’t think that would be wise. Without the element of surprise, I will have a much harder time beating you.”

Bokuto pouted, but let Akaashi help him stand up. “I can’t believe you got me! I’m at least twice as big as you!”

“Strength is pointless if you’re not smart, Prince Koutarou.” Akaashi pointed out.

Bokuto’s mouth fell open, and Kuroo openly laughed at him. 

Akaashi’s hand flew up to his mouth, “I apologize, that was very bold.”

But Bokuto was already smiling, “No, you’re right. But just you wait! Next time, I’ll definitely win!”

“You’re welcome to join us in the mornings, Keiji.” Kuroo added, “We spar every day.”

Akaashi nodded, “I think I would like that.”

* * *

After they’d cleaned up, Bokuto told him that they would discuss castle responsibilities tomorrow. 

“You’re family and friends are leaving today!” Koutarou had insisted, “I don’t want to stop you from saying proper good-byes.”

So Akaashi reluctantly made his way down to the wing of rooms housing Karasuno, stopping in front of his mother’s door. 

He was just drawing up the nerve to knock when the door nearly smacked him in the face, a harried looking servant tripping out with an armful of luggage. 

“Oh my god! So sorry! If you want to talk to the queen, she’s just inside.”

Akaashi edged past the door, calling out, “Mother? It’s Keiji.”

“Keiji?” she answered, turning away from the vanity that she was transferring jewelry out of.

“Oh Keiji, I’m so glad you came.” She sat down, giving him her full attention, “I was worried you weren’t going to say good-bye.”

Akaashi shook his head, “Why wouldn’t I?”

She rose an eyebrow at him, but didn't answer the question. “We haven’t spoken since before the wedding. Is everything going alright?”

“Yes. Everything is fine.” Akaashi replied. 

“I’m happy to hear that; I’m sure you’ll be very comfortable here. It seems like you get along with Prince Koutarou considering your… open behavior at the wedding.” She wasn't scolding him, but the disdain was obvious in her voice. 

Akaashi ears reddened, and for the first time he felt embarrassed of how he’d behaved. “Yes… well. Prince Koutarou is a very open person.”

“But you’re not.” she said sharply, “It would be unadvisable to make the people of Fukurodani think you’re not capable of composure.”

Akaashi felt shame spread through him, tightening his chest and making him uncomfortably hot. “Yes, mother. It won’t happen again.”

She looked him up and down, letting the words hang for a moment. Akaashi stared hard at the floor, refusing to meet her gaze. 

“Come here, Keiji.”

Akaashi looked up, and his mother was standing up, holding her arms out. He stepped forward tentatively, accepting the embrace. 

She held his head against her shoulder, kissing his hair and muttering, “It’s alright; I understand why you behaved foolishly, and I don’t want to leave you here with any hard feelings between us.”

Akaashi blinked back the watery feeling behind his eyes, feeling like he should reassure his mother that he didn’t resent her. But the words were stuck in his throat, choked back by their dishonesty. Instead he just nodded, pulling away from her and smiling wanly. 

“Do you need any help packing?”

* * *

Bokuto asked him if he would like to escort the Karasuno delegation back to the docks, but Akaashi declined.

“I’ve said my good-byes, thank you Prince Koutarou.”

He watched them go from the window seat in his room. The sun was just setting, obscuring anything but a silhouette of everyone leaving. It bore a certain resemblance to the scene he’d watched when his engagement was announced. Dozens of courtesans he’d grown up with, following his mother away from him into the blinding sun. 

And Akaashi couldn’t even bring himself to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen. Listen. I know we got a little dramatic at the end. But this is practically a harlequin novel anyway, please humor me. Also, I know jack shit about fighting.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took longer to come out! It's been a rough couple weeks, ngl. Between work and a very sick cat, I didn't have much time to write. But it's here now, so I hope you like it!

The next morning Akaashi attended his first meeting as the official consort of Fukurodani. He sat to Bokuto’s right at the head of a massive table where all the officers and advisors of the military were gathered. 

 

“Kageyama, report.” Kuroo directed, calling on a young man who hurried to respond. 

“Yessir!” Kageyama began, “We were able to speak to a group of people who were overrun by Shiratorizawa and get firsthand accounts. Apparently their army is focused entirely on the acquisition of land. They force towns to swear fealty to their empire and move on as soon as they get it. They leave only a small force in these conquered villages before moving on to their next target. This has allowed them to move quickly, but we will experience few difficulties in reclaiming some ground before they are forced to fight us directly.”

Kuroo nodded, “Did they have any information on how many soldiers were in the initial invasion force?”

Kageyama frowned, “Yes, it sounds like there’s at least five hundred foot soldiers and fifty mounted men.”

“Hmm.” Kuroo motioned for Kageyama to sit down. “That’s a large force, but it’s hardly unprecedented. How have they not been met with any opposition?”

“They’re strong, Tetsu.” The small man next to Kuroo spoke up, “Unnaturally strong. Something is motivating them besides thirst for control, I think. Desperation can make people dangerous.”

“What could Shiratorizawa be desperate for though, Kenma?” Kuroo asked, “Bo, you’ve been there, haven’t you?”

Bokuto nodded, “Yes, but not for a long time. They closed their borders seven years ago. And I’ve never actually spoken with Ushijima; he wasn’t in power when we visited.”

The conversation continued, but Akaashi felt like they were just going in circles. Yes, technically Fukurodani had the numbers to deal with Shiratorizawa, but they were missing something. Nobody knew why Ushijima was suddenly making a grab for land, and they wouldn’t know their true strength until they did. 

“I think we should just gather our forces and start the campaign.” Bokuto announced, “We aren’t accomplishing anything by speculating about what they want. It doesn’t really matter does it? The strongest force wins.”

Akaashi glanced dubiously at his husband before returning his gaze to the table. Had he not listened to Kenma at all? Ushijima’s strength wasn’t necessarily in numbers, and a straight-forward attack may succeed in the short term, but it would be nearly impossible to maintain.

“What do you think, Keiji?” Kuroo startled Akaashi out of his train of thought. 

Akaashi hesitated, “I… Prince Koutarou has more experience in these matters than I.”

Kuroo waited a moment, giving Akaashi room to elaborate. But Akaashi let the matter rest. It wasn’t his place to contradict Bokuto.

“Well, I suppose Bo has a point. We’ve already begun preparations, so our main force and cavalry should be ready to leave in three weeks. However, I would like to recommend that we also create a small, reconnaissance force to speak with invaded villages and Shiratorizawa affiliates.” Kuroo suggested, “Kenma is right, we need to learn more about our enemy.”

“That sounds appropriate.” Bokuto agreed, “Kenma, would you like to lead that team?”

The smaller man nodded, “If I can choose who goes with me, yes.”

“Of course, you can have time to decide while we make the final preparations.” Bokuto clapped his hands and stood up, “Okay. Thanks for coming, everyone. If you have any concerns or additional information, please bring it directly to either General Kuroo or me. You are dismissed.”

Akaashi stood up and tried to make his way towards Tooru, but his friend was making a beeline for the door. 

“Oikawa!” He called out, attempting to get his attention.

Tooru turned briefly and grinned, “Sorry, Keiji! I have to go, we’ll talk later.”

Keiji watched him leave, confused by his hasty exit. But a glance out the window cleared up his questions—the sun indicated it was about 10 o’clock.

* * *

“Iwa-chan!”

A shrill, demanding voice sounded behind Iwazuimi, and his shoulders tensed. 

“Iwa-chan, are the horses saddled? I hate waiting, and I’m so excited to see where you’re taking me.”

Iwazuimi took a deep breath, counting to ten before he turned around to address Oikawa. 

“Yes. We can leave.” His tone was clipped and reluctant. Hajime was hoping that if he made it abundantly clear how much he hated this activity, Tooru would get offended and stop coming. 

“Oh, wonderful!” Oikawa enthused, ignoring Iwazuimi’s negative attitude. “Let’s go then.”

“Are you sure you even want to go today, sir?” Hajime asked hopefully, handing Oikawa the reigns to his horse. “The wind is starting to pick up, and it looks like it might rain.”

Oikawa swung himself onto his horse gracefully, “Of course we should go! Really, Iwa-chan, what kind of stable boy are you if you would let our animals waste away in a stall because of a little wind?”

Iwazuimi looked to the sky, wishing for some divine mercy. But Oikawa was still waiting expectantly, so obviously the gods had turned away from him and his pleas. 

“Alright, let’s go.” Hajime pulled himself onto Aspen and led the way out of the yard. “We can ride over to a series of caves that lies north of here. It’s not too far.”

“Caves! How scary.” Oikawa commented, trailing just behind Hajime. “Are these caves special to you, Iwa-chan? Were you raised in them?”

Iwazuimi just ignored him, pulling his coat tight around him against the cold air and resigning himself to a long, long ride.

* * *

Iwazuimi's prediction for rain had been a massive understatement. 

“Iwa-chan, we’re going to die!” Oikawa was only half exaggerating as he shouted over the wind. “I can’t believe you planned to murder me this whole time!”

Rain pelted down on them, their clothes already soaked through. 

“We’re not going to die, we just need to find some cover.” Iwazuimi yelled back, his eyes darting nervously to the lightening shooting across the sky, much closer than it had been before. 

“We’re almost to the caves, and we can wait out the storm there!” Hajime patted the nervous mare beneath him, trying to comfort her as thunder rumbled through the air. “Just keep up!”

Rain streamed down his face, making it difficult to see, but Hajime was sure they were close. He squinted into the darkness, trying to identify a familiar landmark. 

In the distance, he thought he could make out the shape of an irregular rock formation that marked their destination. 

“This way!” he shouted, checking that Oikawa was still behind him.

As they got closer, he could see that they were definitely in the right place, and relief settled warm and heavy inside his gut. The yawning opening of a large cave lay directly in front of them, big enough to comfortably house both men and their animals. 

“Oh, thank god.” Oikawa muttered as they scurried into the dry air, shaking his wet hair like a dog. 

They dismounted and tethered Commander and Aspen to a stone pillar, taking off their saddles so the horses could rest comfortably. 

“Well, Iwa-chan, these caves turned out to be a very interesting place indeed.” Oikawa teased as he took off his cloak, wringing out the excess water, “I didn’t know you were showing me life-saving locations today.”

“There should be dead wood scattered around on the floor, help me look and we can build a fire.” Hajime instructed, already scanning for debris. 

Oikawa huffed, “So bossy!” But he did as he was told. 

They built up a sizeable stack of usable wood, and Iwazuimi retrieved some flint from his saddlebags. Soon enough, they had a respectable fire burning in front of them, providing a comforting source of warmth as the storm raged on outside. 

Oikawa had gone blessedly quiet, and Iwazuimi closed his eyes as the flames slowly chased away the numbness in his limbs. His thoughts dulled to a pleasant hum, the sound of rain droning a soothing rhythm into his mind. 

Gradually, he became aware of another sound, and his eyes snapped open to look at Oikawa. 

“Tooru, are you shivering?” 

The other man waved his hand dismissively, “It’ll pass, don’t mind me. Iwa-chan built this nice fire, and it will warm me up eventually. 

Iwazuimi narrowed his eyes at him, but let it be. The calm sensation from earlier didn’t return, instead his eyes were drawn back to Oikawa again and again. He could see the other boy biting his lip to stop the sound, but it was obvious he was still shaking. 

With a groan, he stood up and walked over to Tooru, shrugging his cloak off of his shoulders. 

“You really need to get yourself a waterproof coat, you know,” he chastised as he put his own coat over Oikawa’s shoulders. “You’re not in Karasuno anymore, and that silky shit won’t keep you warm.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened before his face split into a smirk. “Such a gentleman! But I’m really fine, I don’t want to take your coat. Iwa-chan will catch a cold and die, and then how will I find my way home?” 

He pushed the cloak back into Iwazuimi’s arms, and Hajime’s face turned stormy. 

“Just take it, idiot. I’m not cold anymore.”

“No.”

“Why are you acting stupid? It’s just a coat.”

Oikawa’s mouth was set in a stubborn pout, though the effect was marred by the trembling of his blue lips. “I don’t need you to take care of me, Iwa-chan. It’s your coat, so you should keep it.”

Iwazuimi rolled his eyes. 

“Fine.” He lowered himself onto the floor next to Tooru, “We’ll just share it then. You’ll get warm faster that way, anyway.”

He draped the coat across the both of them, pleased to see that Oikawa’s shivering died down quickly. 

The only sounds now were the rain outside, and the fire snapping in front of them, and suddenly Iwazuimi was aware of what he’d just done. He was pressed up against Oikawa’s side, closer to him than he’d ever been. The air turned awkward as he tore his eyes away from Tooru, suddenly acutely aware of how strange the situation was. 

Oikawa was staring down at his hands, which were fidgeting restlessly on his knees. The silence felt palpable in the air, and Iwazuimi couldn’t stand how uncomfortable it was. 

“So…” he started, in a desperate attempt to make this less weird, “Tell me about Karasuno.”

Oikawa’s hands stopped moving, and his eyes slid up to Iwazuimi’s. He blinked a couple times before smiling and asking, “What do you want to know?”

“Well… Anything really. How did you meet Prince Keiji? What did you do before you became a diplomat? Have you always been insufferable, or is that a recent development?”

Tooru gasped playfully, “I am a delight, Iwa-chan! How dare you.”

Iwazuimi smiled, “Yeah, sure. Now answer the other questions.”

So they talked. As the rain pounded outside, Iwazuimi learned that Tooru had been raised on the streets after his parents died. He’d learned how to charm people into giving him things and taking him places. And one day he’d accidentally targeted Akaashi, unaware that he was a member of the royal family. 

He’d been sixteen when Keiji told him, “You have a lot of charisma, Oikawa-kun. I can’t give you any money, but would you accept a job?”

And the rest was history. They’d risen together so high, before they came crashing down. 

“Wow.” Iwazuimi commented, “So that’s why you’re manners are so bad, you were an urchin.”

“Iwa-chan!” Oikawa huffed, “I can’t believe you.”

Hajime laughed, and Oikawa felt his heart squeeze at the sound, “But you can’t deny it. At least you made it up the ranks, I’m still stuck at the bottom grooming horses and running errands.” He cleared his throat self-consciously, “Not that I don’t like my job. I’m just… not very important.”

Tooru tilted his head, his eyes focusing intensely on Iwazuimi. “I wouldn’t say that. Fukurodani has a heavy reliance on their cavalry. The people working in the stables carry a lot of responsibility to keep the horses healthy and strong.”

Iwazuimi rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, “Yeah, I guess.”

Oikawa’s gaze shifted away, and he relaxed against Iwazuimi’s side. “Anyways, tell me some stories about Keiji’s new husband. I want to hear about any stupid things he’s done.”

“It’ll take a really long time to tell you all the dumb things Prince Koutarou has done.”

“Proceed.”

So he did, and they sat like that for a long time. Laughing long past when the rain stopped and the sun emerged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God bless rain and it's ability to create situations in which it is absolutely NECESSARY to cuddle.  
> Really, u have 2 cuddle or u di e.


	8. Chapter 8

“I told him I didn’t want his dumb coat, because I absolutely refuse to be a needy bitch, you know this about me. And then he wrapped his coat around _both of us_.” 

Oikawa’s pitch grew steadily higher as he relayed his story, while Akaashi massaged his temples. 

“Tooru, you’re literally the definition of a needy bitch.”

Oikawa shrugged, “Well… yes. But not when it matters. And then he asked about Karasuno, and I basically told him the whole tragedy of my life. So he told me that I was so impressive because I’m so beautiful and important now, even though I grew up on the streets.”

“He didn’t say that.”

“Can you please just let me tell the story?” Oikawa huffed. “We spent hours in this grimy cave talking, and he’s just. So. Perfect.”

Tooru threw himself backwards to lie across Akaashi’s bed, clutching at his heart dramatically. “Just thinking about him makes my chest get all tight and fluttery.”

Akaashi sighed, “Well. If you like him that much, you should let him know. Instead of pretending you just force him to be with you out of spite.”

Oikawa rolled his eyes, “Don’t be dense. If Iwa-chan found out that I want to pin him against walls and hold his hand, not even fear could keep him in my company. I have to make him fall in love with me before I can say anything!”

Akaashi’s fingers carded through Tooru’s hair absent-mindedly, “You know I’m no good at these games. I don’t know how to help.”

“I know, Kei-chan, it’s okay. I just wanted to talk about it.” Oikawa looked up at him, his gaze soft, “I like him a lot.”

Akaashi smiled down at his friend, “Then I’m sure it’ll work out. You always get what you want eventually.”

Oikawa pouted, “You make me sound spoiled. But it’s too late to argue. We should probably go to bed.”

Outside the window, Akaashi could see that the moon was high, confirming the late time. “Definitely. I have to be up early for sparring tomorrow.”

Oikawa sat up, “You’re still doing that? I can’t believe you voluntarily made a commitment to get up at dawn every day.”

Akaashi grimaced, “I hate it. But it’s good practice, and I can channel all my early morning wrath into fighting.”

“You spar with Bokuto and Kuroo, right?”

Akaashi nodded, and Oikawa grinned. 

“That captain is sure something, huh? If I wasn’t a committed man, I might be drawn to his mysterious aura.”

“Well. Yeah.” Akaashi hesitated, “But I’m married.”

Tooru scoffed, “Yeah, but you’re not really. Political marriages aren’t the same as a committed relationship. Plenty of married courtesans have fun with other people. It’s kind of expected at this point.”

Akaashi turned that over in his mind. “You’re right. But I don’t think I ever could. If anything got out, it would be a huge scandal. I could never risk my reputation like that.”

Oikawa stood up and popped his neck, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Well, I’m going to bed.”

He made his way over to the door, “Goodnight, Keiji.”

“Goodnight, Tooru.” Akaashi responded, his mind drifting as Oikawa shut the door. 

He tried to put the conversation out of his mind as he got ready for bed, but something about it was sticking in his thoughts.

Would Koutarou really be okay with him having a relationship with someone else? Would Koutarou hesitate to enter an extra-marital affair of his own? Should they talk about this? Did Kuroo really have a mysterious aura?

Instead of putting his sleep clothes on, Akaashi avoided his bed and sat at his window. 

Koutarou and Tetsurou were very close. He’d seen this a hundred times already, and he’d been here for practically no time at all. They weren’t afraid of touching or teasing each other. Perhaps he’d been blinded by his assumptions before, but now it seemed like a real possibility that Bokuto might actually be in a relationship with his captain. 

_Well,_ Akaashi thought firmly, _it’s certainly none of my business if he is. Tooru is right; these things are perfectly normal in arranged relationships._

He looked at his bed and sighed, knowing that he was too preoccupied now to fall asleep.

The moon was all but invisible tonight, he noted as he looked outside—a mere sliver in the sky. Even through the thick glass, he could see that the stars were out. He stood up and picked up his coat, thinking that maybe a walk would relax his mind.

His stride was confident as he left his room; he had followed Oikawa to the stables a few days ago, and he could take that route outside. But the farther he got from his room, the more uncertain he became. All of these hallways looked exactly the same, and the map he’d been trying to follow in his head was quickly becoming a tangled mess. God, he didn’t recognize any of this. 

Eventually, Akaashi just stopped in the middle of yet another stone hallway, sunk to ground and put his head in his hands. Forget outside, how was he going to get back to his room?

Just as he resigned himself to sleeping on the floor, his head tilted towards a clatter in the distance. It sounded like… pans maybe? If somebody was in the kitchen, they could help him. 

Akaashi pushed himself back onto his feet, and walked towards the noise. He panicked a little when it disappeared, but if he just kept going in the same direction…

He lit up when he recognized the tapestry outside the dining hall and practically ran by the tables to get to the double doors that led to the kitchen. Before barging in, he froze outside and put on a composed face. It was weird enough that the foreign prince was going to the cooks for directions after midnight, he should at least pretend like he wasn’t panicking. 

Only half of the lights in the kitchen were on, and Akaashi turned towards them to see who was preparing food this late. 

“Koutarou?” he asked, not quite able to believe what he was seeing. 

The prince flinched hard, slapping his hand across his mouth as he spun around. His eyes were wide with fear until they landed on Akaashi. His shoulders slumped dramatically when he recognized him, his hand dropping to clutch at his shirt. 

“Shit… Keiji, you scared me.” Bokuto panted, his face splitting into a self-conscious grin. “What are you doing?”

Akaashi shrugged, crossing the kitchen to where his husband appeared to be cutting up peaches. “I’m lost. What are you doing?”

“I’m…” Bokuto's eyes darted to the peeled fruit, “I was hungry.”

Akaashi nodded in understanding and sat down on a stool across from Bokuto, “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I thought I was going to wander around until morning.”

“Why are you up in the first place, though?” Bokuto asked, sucking some juice off his finger, “Do you want some?”

Akaashi nodded and Koutarou reached up into one of the cupboards, pulling down two bowls. 

“I couldn’t sleep, so I was going to go for a walk outside. I thought the fresh air would help me calm down, but it didn’t turn out very well.”

Bokuto tilted his head curiously, “Are you worried about something?”

Akaashi contemplated his answer as he chewed, “Well… I was thinking about Shiratorizawa.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie, he had been thinking about their military plans before Oikawa came into his room and got his thoughts all scrambled up. 

“You don’t need to worry about Ushijima, Keiji. Kuroo and I will take him down, no problem!” Bokuto beamed at him, obviously confident. 

“But aren’t you curious?” Akaashi asked, “I want to talk with those witnesses Kenma mentioned and ask them some questions. Are they being forced to pay some kind of tribute? Is Shiratorizawa taking anything specific? There’s so much we don’t know about the enemy—it makes me nervous.”

Koutarou’s eyes were locked on him, wide and golden as he listened. His brows furrowed as Akaashi spoke, “You didn’t say any of this in the meeting yesterday.”

Akaashi froze, “Well…” he hesitated, “I hadn’t thought of it yet.”

Once again, not exactly a lie. He’d needed time to flesh out his doubts about Bokuto’s straightforward plan. 

Bokuto nodded, “Kuroo will want to hear what you think. I’ll tell him what you said in the morning.”

Kuroo. Akaashi flushed a little as he was reminded of the real reason for his insomnia.

“Koutarou, there was something else I was thinking about tonight…” Akaashi’s felt his heart beat faster as he committed to saying something. 

Bokuto waited for him to continue, shoving more peach slices in his mouth. 

“We’re… not sleeping together.”

Koutarou instantly choked on everything he’d just put in his mouth, sputtering in surprise. 

Keiji waited for him to compose himself before continuing. “I just mean… We didn’t really have a choice in this matter, and if you want to… pursue other relationships. I won’t take offense to that.”

Bokuto was staring at him like he’d just grown an extra head, “Like… an affair?”

“Well…” Akaashi’s neck was hot, but he pushed through. These things needed to be said. “Yes, I suppose. But a political relationship shouldn’t have the same boundaries as a romantic one, and I don’t want you to feel restricted by ours.”

Bokuto wasn’t looking at him anymore, his gaze now locked on his peaches. “I… I guess you’re right.”

Neither of them were talking or looking at each other, and the room felt thick with tension. 

Akaashi stood up and cleared his throat, “It’s very late. I’ll just go back to my room now.”

Bokuto’s eyes snapped up, “Aren’t you lost?”

Keiji paused on his way over to the massive sink, closing his eyes in resignation as he remembered why he’d come into the kitchen in the first place. 

“I can probably get back from here.” 

“No, no.” Bokuto insisted, popping up and following Akaashi. “I need to go to bed too. I’ll walk with you.”

Akaashi straightened his spine and nodded, turning to look at Koutarou. “Yes. There’s no reason for things to be weird. We have to have conversations like this. We’re adults.”

Bokuto sucked in a breath through his teeth, “Yeah, yeah, just no more tonight, okay?”

Akaashi smiled, “Agreed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pro Tip: Don't listen to dance music while writing. You'll be up much later than you planned.
> 
> Thanks again for your support!


	9. Chapter 9

Bokuto sipped at his water, uncharacteristically quiet as he watched Kuroo and Akaashi spar with each other. They were going at it hard, Akaashi practically snarling as he tried to get the upper hand on Kuroo. So far, the smaller man hadn’t been able to beat the captain, and it was obvious it frustrated him. 

They had a similar fighting style, Bokuto thought as he observed them. They were both smart in their attacks, trying to exploit the others’ weaknesses. Strategy took precedence over straightforward strength for both of them, and it was kind of funny to watch them try to outwit each other. But it was obvious that Kuroo had more experience, and Akaashi suffered because of it. 

Akaashi threw himself at Kuroo’s stomach, trying to use his lower center of gravity to bring Tetsurou to the ground. Kuroo let himself fall, but took advantage of Akaashi’s momentum to land with his torso over Keiji, rather than below him. 

Keiji let out a tiny growl of annoyance as he became entangled in Kuroo’s limbs, unable to gain control of the situation. He wriggled in an attempt to free himself, but Tetsu kept him securely caged between himself and the ground, pulling his legs out from under Akaashi, flipping the smaller man in the process. He quickly planted himself on Keiji’s chest, wrapping his hands around the other’s throat. 

Bokuto felt… strange watching them. He was uncomfortably hot, even though he’d been sitting out long enough to cool down, and his insides were starting to feel slimy. He kind of wanted to hit Kuroo, in a way that had nothing to do with sparring. 

Objectively, Bokuto knew that Tetsu was a good-looking guy. He also knew that the sour feeling in his gut was related to the fact that Keiji was also… painfully attractive. Koutarou was quite proud that his husband was beautiful, and he’d never even considered it could be a problem. 

Until Akaashi told him he didn’t want to be exclusive. 

Keiji writhed on the ground desperately, refusing to give up. His hair was damp with sweat, and his eyes flashed with determination as he panted with overexertion. He’d lost, but his pride kept him from admitting it. Kuroo’s hands bore down harder, pressing hard into Akaashi’s neck. 

“Okay, my turn!” Bokuto called out, slamming his water down onto the bench. 

Kuroo turned to him, smirking. “Keiji hasn’t given up yet.”

Koutarou huffed, “Well, he’s obviously lost. Just let him up.”

Tetsu grinned at Akaashi, who was still trying to pull Kuroo’s hands off him, “Did you hear that? You’ve obviously lost.”

“Don’t struggle, Keiji.” Bokuto stepped up to the fighting platform, “I wouldn’t put it past Tetsu to just wait until you pass out.”

“Aw, Bo.” Kuroo whined, “You know I could never actually hurt Keiji. I’m so weak for a pretty face.”

Bokuto froze. He forced a laugh before turning his back to both of them. 

“You know, I’m actually feeling a little worn out.” He muttered, gathering his things. “I’m gonna go wash up. I’ll see you guys at the meeting later.”

The other two watched him go, confused expressions on their faces. 

Kuroo sighed and climbed off Akaashi, “Shit.”

Keiji sat up, “What… what just happened?”

Tetsu helped Akaashi to his feet. “He gets like this sometimes. I’m not sure what set him off this time, but I’ll talk to him later. It is getting kind of late, though, we should go clean up too. I stink.”

Akaashi nodded, but continued to stare after Bokuto. The prince was normally so upbeat, and it was unsettling to see him so dejected. 

Kuroo headed back towards the keep, but Keiji stayed outside for a moment, picking up his water to drink. 

He went over the scene again in his head, trying to identify what could have upset Bokuto. Koutarou had been acting perfectly normal up until his fight with Kuroo…

Suddenly, his eyes widened as he pictured the fight in his head. Tetsu had been very close to him, sitting on his hips to keep him down. He felt the urge to smack his forehead as he realized what it must have looked like. 

This was just further evidence that Bokuto was involved with Kuroo, Akaashi thought. Bokuto didn’t seem like the jealous type, but he couldn’t blame him for being upset at the sight of his lover on top of another man. Even if they were just sparring. 

Akaashi sighed and stood up. He would have to make it clear that he and Kuroo were just friends from now on.

* * *

When Akaashi entered the war council meeting, Bokuto sat at the head of the table, his chin resting in his hands. Akaashi scanned his face, noting how his normally bright eyes seemed distant and dull. It was like a switch had been flipped, transforming Bokuto into someone else entirely. 

He sat to Bokuto’s right tentatively, clearing his throat slightly. “Hello, Prince Koutarou.”

Bokuto inclined his head towards him, but didn’t make eye contact. “Hey, Keiji.”

And turned away. 

Akaashi’s arm twitched as he nearly reached out and touched Bokuto’s shoulder in concern. But he quickly second-guessed the movement—there were others watching, and Koutarou seemed like Akaashi’s attention was the last thing he wanted. 

Instead he ripped his eyes from Bokuto, politely acknowledging the others at the table with a nod. But his attention kept returning to his husband, looking for hints about his mood and what had caused it. 

Eventually, all the seats were filled and everyone seemed to be waiting for Bokuto to start the meeting. 

Kuroo looked like he was trying to catch his friends gaze and cue him to start, but Koutarou had his eyes firmly trained on the back wall. 

Well…” Kuroo began awkwardly, “Let’s go ahead and begin. Um… Do you want to debrief everyone, Koutarou? Or shall I?”

Bokuto smiled weakly, “Go ahead, Tetsu. You do a better job.”

Kuroo launched into details about the plans for Fukurodani’s campaign against Ushijima and Shiratorizawa. Everyone at the table paid close attention, nodding seriously as Kuroo explained their strategy moving forward. 

Everyone except Akaashi, because he was still watching Bokuto. 

He desperately wished he could peer into the other man’s head and see how to fix what he’d done. But Bokuto’s head stayed infuriatingly opaque, giving him no hints on how to help him out of this slump. 

“Kenma, have you chosen your reconnaissance team?”

Akaashi snapped back to attention when Kuroo asked the question, the topic catching his attention. 

Kenma nodded, “Yes. I will be taking Shouyou, Kageyama, Yaku, and Keiji.”

“Wait, what?” Bokuto spoke for the first time since the beginning of the meeting. “My Keiji?”

Akaashi glanced back forth between the two, equally confused about his placement. 

“Keiji is supposed to be part of the strategic team.” Oikawa piped up from the end of the table, his voice tight. “He’s supposed to stay with Captain Tetsurou, Prince Koutarou, and me.” 

Kenma sighed, “I know, but I want him with me.”

“Um…” Kuroo was also thrown by the new proposal, “Could you tell us why?”

“He’s observant.” Kenma explained, “And intelligent.”

He looked across the table at Akaashi, “Koutarou told me about what you said the other day, and you ask the right kinds of questions. I think you will be very valuable as we try to understand Shiratorizawa.”

All the eyes at the table turned towards Akaashi, and he composed his face into something resembling apathy. But internally he was flitting between shock and elation at this new proposal. He wanted this. He wanted to find the answers to the questions that had been plaguing him for days.

Bokuto and Kuroo glanced at each other before turning to Keiji. 

“Well. What do you think?” Bokuto asked him.

Akaashi hesitated, “I… I would like to be helpful in any way I can. Wherever I can be the most useful is where I should be.”

“But where do you want to be?” Kuroo asked impatiently, staring intently at Akaashi. 

“I think… I could be of assistance to Kenma.” Keiji replied carefully. 

“Well, you’ll likely go with them then.” Kuroo stated, “We’ll discuss this more later, but not here. Kenma, that’s only five people, are you sure you don’t need more?”

Keiji was relieved when the attention left him, settling back onto Kenma as he explained why he absolutely did not want any more people.

* * *

It only made sense for Akaashi and Bokuto to leave the meeting together, as their rooms were literally right next to each other. But Koutarou still wasn’t talking, and it was making for a very awkward walk. 

Their steps echoed off the walls, clicking loudly and highlighting the silence between them. Akaashi still didn’t know what to do, but he was starting to feel like he should just start trying things. Because ignoring the situation obviously wasn’t working. If he could just get him talking again… 

“Koutarou…” he started hesitantly, “Tetsurou was telling me about the last time you both went on a campaign together. He said you were responsible for the capture of Daishou Suguru.”

Not true. Tetsurou had described himself as the hero of that particular story. But that detail hardly mattered. 

“I’d like to hear the whole story from you.” Akaashi prompted, silently praying that this would work. 

“Well…” Bokuto pondered the request, “I guess that is a pretty good story… What did Tetsu tell you?”

“Oh, hardly anything.” Akaashi fibbed, “And I’m very curious about the details.”

Watching Bokuto fill up with words was like watching a balloon inflate. He seemed to expand as his shoulders pulled back and his hands came up to start illustrating for him. 

Akaashi felt warm as Bokuto’s face turned upward into a grin, his face splitting into it’s usual state of animation as he described what had happened. He’d already heard the story, so it was easy to tune out the words and just watch Koutarou.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Despite What Everyone Thinks, Kuroo Tetsurou is Not Actually Getting Any.


	10. Chapter 10

Kuroo’s friends were acting strange, and he had no idea why. He’d waited in the sparring hall for what felt like an eternity, only for neither of them to show up. Then, when he’d gone to their rooms to tell them off for ditching him, he found Koutarou gone. Akaashi had mumbled some excuse about sleeping late, practically shoving Tetsurou out the door as his eyes darted from one end of the hallway to the other.

He’d finally met up with Bokuto when he went to get some breakfast. Koutarou was cheerful, but when Keiji joined them in the dining hall, he’d practically thrown himself across the table to stop Akaashi from sitting next to Kuroo. 

“Come sit by me, Keiji, I have… extra butter.” 

Tetsu stared at Koutarou, trying to comprehend his logic.

Bokuto at least had enough presence of mind to look embarrassed, “I just mean… if you sit over here… you can reach my extra butter a lot better than you could over there. And I see you have some bread. So. You might need some butter.”

Keiji nodded as if that made any sort of sense, “Alright, Prince Koutarou. Thank you for your concern.”

Tetsurou glanced down at his own food in confusion, wondering if maybe they were all being fed some kind of slow-acting, behavior-altering poison. Was it a full moon tonight? He had a hard time imagining what could cause both of his friends to lose it simultaneously. 

Maybe they just needed some relaxation time? Bokuto was incredibly busy overseeing all the preparations for the war effort, and Akaashi was likely still feeling the stress of moving to a new place with all new people. Maybe… everybody just needed to go have some fun? It seemed as likely a solution as any. 

“So…” Kuroo started “Are you guys really busy today?”

Bokuto cocked his head, “Well. Yes. I’m supposed to meet with my parents this evening to discuss financial projections for the initial push against Shiratorizawa. And I want to help the lieutenants with weaponry maintenance checks, so that will take most of the day.”

“I’m supposed to have a meeting with Kenma today.” Akaashi added, “And Tooru will want to speak with me this afternoon.”

Kuroo slumped into his seat, “Hmph. I think we should try to do something fun today.”

Bokuto leaned forward excitedly, “Something fun?”

Kuroo grinned, “Yeah. We’ve been working really hard. It’s healthy to take a break once and a while, don’t you think?”

Koutarou was nodding eagerly, but Akaashi looked unconvinced. “There is a lot to do, Captain. Although, if you feel overworked it may be a good idea for you and Koutarou to take some time for yourselves.”

Tetsurou shook his head, “No, no, Keiji. Kenma won’t care if you postpone talking to him for a little while, and Oikawa gets to be with you all the time. We should be able to steal you for a few hours, right?”

“What do you have in mind, Tetsurou?” Akaashi asked. 

“Well…” Kuroo hadn’t gotten that far, “I haven’t taken Panther out in a while—Wait!” he was suddenly struck by inspiration, “We should spy on Oikawa and Hajime!”

“What?” Akaashi sounded scandalized. 

“They go out every day, right?” Kuroo explained, “We can go on a ride ourselves, and also find out what they do when they’re out there alone together!”

Bokuto was nodding slowly, “Yeah… if they do anything weird we could use it as blackmail.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes, “I can already give you a minute-by-minute breakdown of every minute that Tooru spends with Hajime. Trust me, it’s not that intriguing.”

Koutarou lit up, “He talks about Hajime? A lot?”

Akaashi pursed his lips, “I suspect he doesn’t remember how to talk about anything else.”

“Well then, we definitely have to go.” Kuroo responded, “If Oikawa has a crush on our good friend, we need to discover his intentions and exploit them.”

“Yeah!” Bokuto agreed enthusiastically, “I’ll just tell the lieutenants I’ll be later than I thought—they won’t mind. Let’s go spy!” 

Akaashi wanted to continue protesting but… there wasn’t really any harm in it. Right? And the other two looked so excited. 

He sighed, “Alright, but I will abandon you both if they catch us. Every man for himself.”

“Keiji!” Bokuto gasped, “So cold!”

Kuroo’s grin widened as he looked between the other two men. It seemed like they were back to normal.

* * *

“Bo, if you don’t shut up right now, they’re going to hear us, and Hajime could literally kill you with his bare hands.” Kuroo whispered harshly, trying to salvage this train wreck of a spying mission. 

Bokuto pouted, “I’m not even being that loud. And Hajime won’t kill me, he swore his fealty to me.”

“But Tooru didn’t.” Akaashi cut in, “And he’s the most dangerous person I know. So listen to Tetsurou.”

Bokuto’s lip stuck out even further, “I’m not being that loud! What could Oikawa even do to us, anyway? I’m definitely stronger than him.”

Keiji fixed him with cold eyes; “I would rather fight ten of you than a single Tooru. Trust me.”

“You both need to shut up!” Kuroo insisted, “We’re going to lose them if we don’t get closer—but they’ll hear us if we don’t get our shit together.”

Their group lapsed into silence, the only audible sound the muffled step of hooves on the dirt. The targets of their hunt were only visible for a few moments at a time, when the trees would thin slightly and give them a glimpse of whom they were chasing. 

Akaashi still didn’t understand what the point of this whole escapade was. What were Kuroo and Bokuto expecting to see? They couldn’t even get close enough to clearly hear the pair’s conversation without being discovered. 

“Guys, guys, guys!” Kuroo whispered frantically, abruptly pulling his horse to a stop. “They stopped up there. They got off their horses.”

Aspen slowed to a halt when Akaashi pulled on the reins, turning sideways so her rider could see. Tooru and Hajime were nothing but flashes of color between the trees, but Keiji could see that Tetsurou was right—they’d dismounted. He could also hear Oikawa’s voice drifting towards them through the trees, his tone high and obnoxious. 

“Iwa-chaaaaaan, I don’t want to eat outside. Just because you were raised a barbarian doesn’t mean we all were.”

“Would you shut up, you literally used to eat out of the trash.”

Oikawa’s shriek of indignation was piercing. “Hajime! I did not! I was a classy urchin, you know that.”

Both of his companions turned to Akaashi in confusion, “Oikawa was a what?” Bokuto asked, his head tilting slightly.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kuroo questioned, pulling in closer to the other two. 

Akaashi shrugged, “It never came up. And Tooru isn’t really fond of publishing the information.”

“You see?” Kuroo pointed his finger at Keiji accusingly, “This is why we have to spy. Because nobody tells us anything. I’m going to go look for a place where we can see them. You two stay here and watch the horses.”

Tetsurou swung himself off of Panther’s back and tied him loosely to a low branch. “I’ll come and get you when I find a good place.”

Bokuto nodded and got off of his own horse, “Okay, but hurry up. Spying is boring if we can’t actually watch them.

Tetsurou waved jauntily as he headed off, “I’ll be back soon.”

He disappeared quickly in the thick flora, his dark hair the last thing to fade.

Keiji sighed and slipped off Aspen, tying her near the other two animals. “If you really want to know more about Tooru, you could just ask him.”

Bokuto grinned, “But that wouldn’t be fun, would it?” 

Akaashi dropped onto a fallen log and flinched as he felt cold water start to seep into his trousers from the mossy surface. “I don’t know what you find enjoyable about sitting around hoping to catch a couple words of a conversation you were not invited to.”

Koutarou grimaced at him, “It’ll be better soon, when Tetsu finds us a good spying spot. Hey!” His eyes lit up and landed on Akaashi, “Why don’t we go look, too?”

“No.” Keiji deadpanned, “Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” Bokuto whined, kneeling in front of him to look directly at him. And really, that wasn’t fair, because seeing the bright enthusiasm in his eyes up close made it nearly impossible to tell him no. 

“The horses are here.” Akaashi replied, fixing his eyes on the ground beneath him, instead of Bokuto’s face. “We can’t just leave them alone.”

“They’ll be fine!” Bokuto waved his hand dismissively, “Look at them! They’re thrilled just to be out here in the woods. They’ll eat some grass and rest awhile. And we can go have fun!”

 _Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t look._ Akaashi repeated as a mantra inside his head. _If you look, you’ll say yes._

“Please, Keiji?” Bokuto pleaded, and Keiji made the tragic mistake of glancing up into his eyes. 

“….. Fine.” He conceded. _Goddamn it, you looked._

“Yes!” Bokuto shot to his feet and punched his fist into the air. “Let’s go!”

Akaashi rose to his feet gingerly, “We’re going to be caught in a matter of minutes if you keep shouting like that. Make sure the knots on all the horses are secure before we go.”

“Okay!” Bokuto whispered, darting over to Panther to check his rope. 

Keiji dropped his head against Aspen’s neck for a moment, unable to believe how lenient he was being. It really was a bad idea. The horses could get loose. Kuroo could come back and not be able to find them. Someone could come through here and steal everything out of their saddlebags. What if they…?

Bokuto’s hand fell on his shoulder, “Are you ready?” he asked, oozing excitement, still whispering. 

Akaashi’s misgiving seemed to evaporate in the heat of Koutarou’s smile, and he grinned back, “Yes. Let’s go.”

* * *

Together, they made their way to higher ground, creeping through the trees in a circle around where Hajime and Oikawa had stopped. Their plan was to gain some altitude and then get closer, relying on their height to keep them concealed. 

“So, Keiji.” Bokuto started conversationally, ignoring Akaashi’s annoyed look for making noise. “You said if I wanted to know more about Oikawa, I just had to ask.”

Akaashi nodded, “He would probably tell you the truth. Tooru is not secretive. Although he would likely tell the story in a way that would manipulate you into seeing him in a certain light. He’s funny that way.”

“But what if I wanted to know more about you?” Bokuto continued, “Would I just have to ask?”

Akaashi paused, taken aback. “You already know about me.”

Bokuto shook his head, “I don’t think so. I know you’re smart. And bad with directions. And I think you lie a lot, but that’s about it.”

“What?” Keiji had the distinct feeling that he was being ambushed, “I don’t lie a lot.”

Bokuto smiled, “There you go again.”

Akaashi could feel his expression frosting over, “Prince Koutarou, I’m not sure how you’ve gotten the impression that I am anything but honest with you. I must admit, I feel slightly offended by your accusation.”

Bokuto reached out and held his shoulder soothingly, “I’m not accusing you, Keiji.” His face was open and honest, “I just wish that you felt secure enough to say what you want.”

He took a deep breath, and Akaashi could see that Bokuto had been thinking about this for a while. It sounded rehearsed as he said, “You don’t speak up during the war councils, even though I can see you have something to say. Instead of saying what you think, you tell people what they want to hear. And ever since you got here, you’ve acted like you’re fine—but I’m not totally sure if you’re fine.” 

This seemed to be the end of the practiced words, because Bokuto’s voice faltered and he looked unsure, “I’ve… I feel like I’ve only seen you totally comfortable a couple of times, and… I want you to feel like you can tell the truth.”

On auto-pilot, Akaashi asked, “How do you know I’m not comfortable all of the time?”

“You call me something different.” Bokuto answered, “When you let your guard down. You use my last name. Like, you um... you did it when you were drunk. At our wedding.”

Akaashi felt completely blindsided. He’d never dreamed that Bokuto could read him so well, much less that he would call him out. 

Koutarou fidgeted in the silence following his assertions, his fingers twisting around one another. Keiji wasn’t responding, and he felt the need to fill the air, “You don’t have to pretend all the time, you know? I know that you disagree with me sometimes, and I know you hate getting up early to spar, and I know that you and Tetsu are…”

He was abruptly cut off as Akaashi slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide. “We were too loud.” He whispered frantically. 

Bokuto was still trying to figure out what the hell was happening when Akaashi shoved him to the ground, keeping his palm planted firmly over Bokuto’s lips. He leaned forward until he could whisper into Koutarou’s ear, “They’re looking for us. Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.”

Koutarou was having a hard time focusing on the words being said, the air tickling his ear as Akaashi talked. He was laying flat across Bokuto’s chest, warmth radiating down and heating Koutarou’s core. 

Slowly, Akaashi’s words registered, and Bokuto nodded in understanding. The hand was removed from his mouth, but Akaashi stayed on top of him, his breathing shallow and regulated as he tried to move as little as possible. 

Bokuto tried to distract his short-circuiting brain by concentrating on finding what Akaashi had already heard—and on the very periphery of his senses he thought he heard a soft rustling from the east. 

“There?” he breathed, pointing his gaze towards where he’d heard the noise. 

Keiji’s chin dipped in a nod, “I think they’ll move past us. If they don’t hear us, they’ll keep heading north.”

Bokuto nodded, internally wondering exactly how long that would take, because having Akaashi pressed this close and breathing in his ear was kind of making his brain melt to goo. 

The rustling emerged again, closer this time. 

“Shit.” Akaashi whispered. Bokuto didn’t know a lot of words from Karasuno, but he knew that one. 

The sounds of movement grew ever closer, obviously headed towards them. Akaashi tried to melt his body even further down, pressing himself closer to Bokuto in an attempt to make them less visible. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he was scared of Oikawa’s wrath. 

Akaashi pinched his eyes shut childishly, as if hoping that if he couldn’t see, no one would see him. Bokuto found the action strangely endearing, but kept his own eyes open, darting around to catch a glimpse of whoever was approaching. 

His gaze stalled on a thicket of cottonwoods, where he thought he saw leaves shaking. 

“Guys, what the fuck.” A voice emerged from the spot he was watching, and Akaashi tensed on top of him. “I thought you were gonna stay with the horses.”

Kuroo stepped out into the open, and Keiji’s eyes flew open as he recognized the voice. 

Akaashi rolled off of Bokuto, scrambling up to his feet and brushing himself off. He had turned bright red, gaze fixed on the ground. 

Bokuto chuckled as he pushed himself into a sitting position, “Hey, Tetsu.”

Kuroo was silent for a moment before responding, “You know what, I don’t want to know. There’s a great lookout just a little further up, we can use that.”

Koutarou bounced up eagerly, “Okay! Lead the way.”

He looked back at Akaashi, who appeared like he was considering never moving again. 

“Come on, Keiji!” Bokuto held out his hand, looking completely unbothered by this turn of events, “Let’s go!”

Akaashi contemplated the offered hand, face still burning with embarrassment. The mantra from earlier returned to him. _Don’t look._ And sure enough, just one glance into Bokuto’s brilliant eyes had him taking the other’s hand and following him into the trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm drinking a new brand of tea that specifically says not to add anything to it and enjoy it 'as nature intended.' Tea tastes terrible by itself, wtf. Anyways. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always, I appreciate your support.


	11. Chapter 11

“Well, that was a waste of time.” Kuroo grumbled as the three of them headed back from their spying adventure. “They didn’t even do anything weird.”

Akaashi sighed, “I told you before we left, they don’t do anything interesting while they’re gone. Oikawa just flirts with Hajime and gets ignored. Every single day.”

Bokuto’s eyebrows furrowed, “He was flirting?”

“Yes.” Akaashi confirmed, “In the most roundabout way possible, of course. Tooru flirts with people using a combination of techniques that mostly include being annoying and overtly coming on to them. It’s baffling to watch.”

“Does he think that will work?” Kuroo asked.

“No, not really.” Akaashi shrugged, “I don’t think he does it on purpose.”

“Huh.” Bokuto turned away and focused on the road, “That’s really weird, but not very fun to watch. We’re going to have to think of something else to do before we leave. We should have a party or something.”

Kuroo nodded slowly, “It’s traditional to have a feast the night before going to war. We could just add drinks and music and call it a party.”

“Yeah!” Bokuto bounced in his saddle, “We should! It’s good for moral to do something before we leave.”

“Isn’t it kind of morbid to have a ‘last hurrah’ celebration before we go to war?” Akaashi asked.

Tetsurou shook his head, “No, don’t think of it that way. It’s more like… an opportunity. A chance to have a good time before we have to slog through the woods for a few months.”

“And it’s not like any of us are planning on dying, Keiji.” Bokuto chided him, “We can’t think like that.”

Akaashi shrugged, “Then I see no reason why you shouldn’t… Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto’s head cocked at the new name, his expression lighting up as he recognized it as the name Akaashi had used on their wedding night. Kuroo looked confused, but Akaashi knew that Koutarou would appreciate the effort. If Bokuto wanted him to be more comfortable here, he would try his best

* * *

Walking into the ballroom for the feast instantly brought Akaashi back to the night of his wedding—there was the same light, fun atmosphere that spoke to an evening of low inhibitions and high spirits. 

He was a little surprised, to be honest. He’d expected a pre-war party to be infected by a more somber feeling. After all, this was to be some people’s last hurrah before dying in a foreign land. But the soldiers didn’t seem to be worried, and their merry attitude was infectious. 

The tables were piled high with food, and the north wall was lined with drinks that looked like they were designed to make you do things you would regret in the morning. 

“Kei-chan!” A voice called from behind him, and Akaashi was unsurprised to find Oikawa making his way towards him, a drink sloshing around in his hand. 

“Try one of these.” Tooru shoved a second drink into his hand, “They taste great, but I can already feel it fucking me up.”

He didn’t take the offered glass, “I don’t know if I’ll be drinking tonight. It might be a better idea to just dance and talk. Last time I made myself look foolish.”

“What?” An arm was thrown over Akaashi’s shoulder, Kuroo’s face appearing next to him. “Are you talking about your wedding? You didn’t do anything stupid.”

Akaashi shrugged Kuroo’s hand off, “You weren’t watching then. I never would have danced with Bokuto like that if I’d been sober.”

Kuroo looked baffled, “This is a party, Keiji. Why would you not dance? You make it sound like you were puking under tables, but you just had some fun. Which you are supposed to do. Because this is a party.”

Keiji still looked unsure, “People don’t want to see their leaders lose their composure. I don’t want to disappoint them.”

Kuroo’s frown deepened, “People want to see that their leaders are human. Just let go, Keiji, everybody else is going to.”

Tooru held out the glass again, and this time Keiji reached out and took it. He looked across the ballroom, where Koutarou was laughing and talking, remembering how Bokuto wanted him to be less careful.

He took a sip of his drink and smiled, “Well, alright. I guess we can have some fun.”

Oikawa cheered, “I’m proud of you, Kei-chan! Just keep working on that drink, I have a plan for later.”

Keiji looked suspicious, “Does it involve me?”

“Yes.” Tooru confirmed, “Which is why I’m going to need you a little tipsy. Don’t worry about it.”

Akaashi’s eyes narrowed, “I just started worrying about it.”

But Oikawa was already swanning away, “I’ll catch up with you soon! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Tetsurou clicked his tongue, “He’s a weird one, you know that?”

“I’m aware, thank you.”

“Anyways, do you wanna dance?”

Akaashi’s eyes snapped up, then over to where Bokuto was still talking, “Um… are you sure that’s a good idea? Koutarou…”

Kuroo waved his hand dismissively, “It’s just dancing, he won’t care.”

“Well… alright.” Akaashi agreed, throwing the rest of his drink back, “Just for a little while.”

Tetsu confidently took one of his hands, and let the other come to rest on his hip. “No promises.” he winked. 

Keiji flushed a little, but let Kuroo lead him further towards the center of the ballroom. The Captain was graceful and easy to folloy, and Akaashi felt comfortable letting him lead. 

“So…?” Tetsurou questioned playfully, and Akaashi raised an eyebrow.

“So what?”

“Am I a better dancer than Koutarou?”

Akaashi shook his head, “No. Definitely not.”

Kuroo pouted, “I know that, but you’re supposed to lie, Keiji. It’s polite.”

“Well, you’re easier to follow.” Akaashi admitted, “But Bokuto-san is more daring. I can appreciate that his bright personality shines through even when he dances.”

“Have you told him that?” Kuroo’s tone had changed, and Akaashi looked up at him in surprise. Tetsurou’s eyes were intent on his face, analyzing.

Keiji felt like he was being tested and answered cautiously, “Of course I told Koutarou that he was a good dancer. That night, I mean.”

Kuroo shook his head, “No, no. Have you told him that you like his personality?”

Akaashi didn’t know how to answer, and he was saved from the necessity by the appearance of a hand on Tetsurou’s shoulder. 

Bokuto was smiling at both of them, “I’m taking back my husband, Tetsu. Go dance with someone else.”

Kuroo stepped away immediately, “Alright. But Keiji told me that he thinks I’m a better dancer than you.”

Koutarou gasped in betrayal, and Akaashi rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say that, Bokuto-san. Is the drink for me?”

Bokuto nodded, and Akaashi took the small glass that he was holding. It was amber and barely translucent, obviously stronger than what he’d taken from Oikawa earlier. He swallowed  
it in one smooth shot.

Koutarou’s eyes followed the drink to his lips and stayed locked there even after Akaashi put the glass back down. Warmth spread through Keiji’s limbs, partially from the drink, but mostly from the heat of Bokuto's gaze. Akaashi cleared his throat, and Bokuto’s eyes snapped back up to his. 

“Should we dance, Bokuto-san?” he asked, holding out a hand.

“Yeah!” Koutarou pulled him close, “Let’s show Tetsu who’s actually better!”

Akaashi smiled, resting his other hand on Bokuto’s shoulder. “I’m fairly certain he already knows.”

“I was just talking to Oikawa.” Koutarou informed him, guiding him through simple steps so they could have a conversation. 

Akaashi’s eyes found Tooru’s back, “Were you?” he asked apprehensively. 

Bokuto hummed an affirmative, "He said that back in Karasuno you don’t really have parties like this. When you dance, it’s more of a performance.”

Akaashi’s mouth turned down in a frown, “Well… yes. When we have celebrations, there’s typically a choreographed dance for the guests. Partner dancing isn’t really a tradition back home.”

Bokuto nodded, “Oikawa said that you two used to perform together.”

Keiji’s eyes slid back to his friend, feeling like he was starting to understand his friend’s plan. Sure enough, he could see that the handsome stable hand was here, looking grumpy as Tooru chattered at him. 

“We have danced together in the past.” Keiji answered carefully, afraid that he knew where the conversation was going. 

“You should show us!” Bokuto declared, “I’ve never seen it before!”

Akaashi shook his head, “It’s not a good idea, Bokuto-san. Our dancing is very different from what you are accustomed to.”

Bokuto looked baffled, “That’s the point, Keiji. You’ve been surrounded by our culture since you got here, don’t you want to share some of your home with us?”

“Of course, but…”

“Please, Keiji?” Bokuto pleaded, and Akaashi couldn’t believe how weak he’d become to the requests of this man.

“I’ll…” he hesitated, “I’ll discuss it with Tooru.”

Koutarou’s grip on his waist tightened, and his eyes lit up, “I can’t wait!”

* * *

At the first opportunity, Keiji extricated himself from Bokuto and marched over to where Tooru was surrounded by a group of people. 

“Tooru.” he hissed, “Could I have a word with you?”

Oikawa giggled, “Of course, Kei-chan!”

Akaashi dragged his friend to a less populated corner, pulling him down to look directly into his eyes. “What exactly are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stop pretending like you’re drunk, I know you could drink any courtesan here under the table and not bat an eye. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Tooru instantly let the glazed look fall away from his face, his expression turning pathetic. 

“Keiji, please, I need your help.” he begged, “If Iwa-chan watches us dance, he’ll fall in love with me for sure!”

“Why can’t you just dance by yourself?” Akaashi demanded, ignoring his friend’s pouting.

Tooru shook his head, “I’m not brave enough.”

“Bullshit.” Akaashi huffed, “You love showing off.”

“But this is different, Kei-chan.” Tooru insisted, “I… whenever Hajime is around, I can’t… I can’t act like normal. I’m always so charming and perfect but when he’s here… I lose all of that.”

Keiji tried to resist the urge to soften and comfort Oikawa, “I can’t do this, Tooru. Dancing is normal in Karasuno, but they won’t see it that way here. It’s… suggestive. Inappropriate.”

“There’s nothing inappropriate about sharing our culture, Kei-chan!” Tooru insisted, “I told Bokuto all about it, and he thinks it’s a great idea!”

“I know he does.” Akaashi ground his teeth together. “But we are literally in a ballroom full of people.”

“That’s the best part!” Oikawa claimed, “It’s just like a normal performance, nothing suggestive about it. I… I brought our outfits.”

Akaashi blanched, “You did not.”

Tooru grinned, “I did. Bokuto knows about those too, he’s very excited to see traditional Karasuno ceremonial garb.”

“I’m not doing it.” Akaashi stated, prepared to stand his ground. 

Oikawa’s face fell, “Keiji… this isn’t just about Iwa-chan.” he hesitated, “I want to dance with you again. I miss it.”

 _Goddamn it._

“Stop playing me, Tooru. It isn’t about that.” Akaashi avoided meeting the other’s eyes. 

“It is.” Tooru maintained, “We haven’t experienced anything from home in more than a month, and I want to dance with you. Tonight. And if anybody doesn’t like it, they can answer to Fukurodani’s prince. Because his consort is from Karasuno, and if they can’t accept you and your heritage, then they don’t deserve you.”

“Tooru… please.” Akaashi was cracking, and Tooru went for the kill. 

“You’re mom isn’t here, Keiji.” Oikawa’s eyes sparkled, “We can do whatever we want.”

Akaashi couldn’t believe himself… but with a thrill of excitement, he met Tooru’s eyes and nodded.

* * *

For the first time in almost two months, Akaashi had on body jewelry and the loose-fitting pants he normally wore at home. It felt profoundly wrong to be bare-chested in this cold place, so far from the comforting warmth of the sun. 

“This is a bad idea, Oikawa.” He insisted as he looked in the mirror, but Tooru shook his head. 

“Stop complaining and put on your damn eyeliner.” Oikawa threw him the kohl pencil, having just finished lining his own eyes. 

Keiji sighed and did as he was told, smoking out his lashes with the black liner. “They’re going to be scandalized, Tooru.”

“I already told you. Bokuto is going to explain to everyone before we perform that this is a tradition, which it is, by the way. If they’re offended, that’s their own business.”

Akaashi chose to keep his mouth shut, resigning himself to going along with Tooru’s terrible plan. Perhaps everyone was too drunk to be able to remember anything they saw tonight anyway. 

“We need to hurry, it’s getting late and Iwa-chan might leave early!”

Akaashi huffed, “I thought this wasn’t about Iwa-chan! I thought you ‘just wanted to dance with me.’” he imitated in a mocking tone.

Tooru shot him a withering glare, “I never said that was my entire motivation, and you know it Kei-chan. Now come on!”

Keiji stood up, wincing a little as his jewelry tinkled softly. There was no way they were getting back into that ballroom without attracting attention. 

Oikawa ushered him out into the hallway, blabbering nervously as they walked. “Remember, we’re doing the solstice choreography. And make sure you don’t do a better job than me, if Iwa-chan falls in love with you instead, I will actually never forgive you.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes, “I’m married, Tooru. You don’t need to worry about having your man stolen.”

“That’s what you say, Keiji, but I can never be sure.” Oikawa lamented, “You’re the only person alive who can rival my beauty, and I’m acutely aware of how alluring you are. I never could affect the air of mystery you carry around.”

Keiji had to restrain himself from smacking his friend, “That’s because you never shut up. You can’t be mysterious when you never stop talking.”

Oikawa pulled a mournful face and whined, “So mean, Kei-chan!”

They both stopped in front of the large oak doors, and turned to face each other before re-entering the ballroom. 

Tooru grinned broadly, “I’m so excited. Are you ready?”

Akaashi’s stomach felt like it was trying to escape through his throat, but he pushed down his nervousness and smiled back, “I think so. Let’s do a great job.”

They pushed the doors open and entered, a hush spreading through the crowd as they came in. Keiji exchanged one more look with Tooru, then let his chin rise up into the air, and walked proudly into the room. 

It was obvious where they were meant to dance. Bokuto had cleared an area just in front of the orchestra and was excitedly gesturing for them to join him. 

“Excuse me, everyone!” He called, and all eyes turned towards the prince. 

“As you all know, Prince Keiji and Oikawa came here from Karasuno as part of our treaty with the Southern countries. Tomorrow we all go off to fight, and as part of our celebrations tonight they will be sharing a tradition from their heritage with us. I was very intrigued to hear about it from Oikawa, and I hope we can all appreciate their willingness to show us a part of Karasuno’s culture.”

Akaashi was impressed with Bokuto’s introduction, and he felt much less nervous after hearing his words. This was okay. Everyone would understand what they were doing. 

They joined Bokuto in front of the orchestra, and Keiji resisted the urge to cross his arms across his chest. Eyes glanced between the three of them, but Akaashi was entering the headspace he had perfected at home. Unaffected. Indifferent. Above judgment. 

“We’ve also provided the orchestra with the proper music, so please enjoy this performance.” Bokuto finished, smiling at both of them before retreating back into the crowd. 

A single drum began to beat behind them, and Akaashi smiled as he recognized the rhythm. The familiar cadence took him back home, to warmth and sand. He stepped lightly into position, turning so his back faced the crowd surrounding them. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Oikawa doing the same. 

Strings kicked in from the side, holding a single tremulous note as they both raised one arm in perfect unison, then gently extending the other arm to the side, creating a graceful undulation. Their hips gently slithered from side to side, moving in contrast to their arms. 

A powerful bass note punched through the strings, and Akaashi realized that he knew the tune as he turned to face their audience. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten the music, or how it would translate as an orchestral piece—but any doubts he had left were banished as he sunk into the familiar melody. 

As they turned to face forward, both men continued the smooth motion of their hips, but brought their hands up high above their heads, before dropping one down for a soft caress of their cheeks. Akaashi let his other arm fall, holding both out from his body, but maintaining control. 

He popped his chest up, then let it fall in time to the music, then rolled his body forward, from his chest all the way down to his hips, as fluid as water. 

The crowd around them had gone utterly silent, eyes glued to both men as they danced in perfect unison. Keiji ignored the peering faces, and sought out one person. Golden eyes were transfixed on him, so intent that Bokuto looked like he was afraid to blink. Akaashi felt his mouth twitch upward at the attention. He rolled his shoulders back and forth, while moving his hips in the opposite direction, creating a wave across his body that made him feel like liquid. 

The music sped up a little, and Akaashi and Tooru’s movements grew sharper. The slow, fluid movements were replaced by punctuated lifts and drops, quick and agile. 

They dropped low, arms moving from side to side as they sunk close to the ground, then rose back up. As a perfect pair, they leapt to the right, before turning and taking a long step back to center, using the extension to rapidly bounce one hip in time to the rhythm. 

Akaashi felt the music humming like blood through his veins, exhilaration pumping through him. He could feel that he and Oikawa were doing well—it had been a long time since they’d practiced, but dancing like this was as natural as breathing. They moved closer together, backs pressed against one another, and Akaashi slithered down, using Tooru’s body as a support as he nearly touched the floor before shimmying back up. 

His hips and shoulders bounced independently, as if they were part of two different people. The muscles in his stomach stretched deliciously as they were pulled one way than the other, and he and Oikawa fell into a spin. They turned around one foot, the other carving an arch around them like a compass. 

The music was coming to a crescendo, and Akaashi spread his arms out like wings. His chest rolled up with them, and for just a moment he thought it might actually be enough for him to take flight. And then it ended, with one arm extended towards the sky, and the other gently resting against his cheek. 

Applause rang through the ballroom, and Akaashi grinned as everyone cheered. Oikawa had been right, this was the most fun he'd had since they left home. 

Biting through the clapping and hollering, Akaashi heard someone in the back clear their throat. His eyes found the source immediately. The noise died down as several other people turned around to see the queen standing by the door, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. 

There was a brief shuffle as neighbors elbowed each other, informing each other of the royal woman’s presence. 

Once it had gone completely quiet, she spoke, “Koutarou. Could I speak to you please? Alone.”

Bokuto looked like a frightened animal as he nodded stiffly, his eyes wide and guilty looking. He walked towards his mother, and the crowd tentatively began to talk again. 

All of the warmth and elation Akaashi had felt only moments ago had drained out through his feet. He felt cold and self-conscious as Kuroo elbowed his way up to the two dancers. 

“Don’t worry about her.” Tetsurou assured them, “The queen is kind of stuck up, but… um, she’ll understand once Bo explains everything. You guys were amazing, I’ve never seen anything like that!”

Keiji nodded stiffly, “Thank you, Captain. I’m just… going to go change.”

He ignored Tetsurou’s protests and pushed through the throng of people. Tooru was trying to follow him, but Akaashi just fled faster, and when he looked behind him Oikawa had stopped trying to catch him, frowning after him but giving him space. 

The hallway was drafty, and Akaashi shivered as his bare feet slapped against the cold stone of the floor. The alcohol that had made him feel so fearless before now sat uncomfortably in his stomach, sloshing as he walked. With his arms crossed tightly around him, Keiji headed towards his rooms, determined to climb back into a warm shirt and fleece pants. 

He froze when he passed a partially open door, light pouring out through a small crack as well as angry voices. 

“Koutarou, what were you thinking?”

Akaashi pushed himself against the wall, listening intently. 

“Mother, you weren’t there, I explained everything before…”

“What exactly is there to explain?” the queen cut Bokuto off, “You are married to that man, and he was dancing for an entire room full of people like a whore. He has a reputation to maintain, and so do you. I don’t understand how you could ever allow this to happen. Exactly how much have you had to drink?”

“I’m not drunk!” Bokuto insisted, but Akaashi was already walking away. The only thing that kept him from breaking into a run was the fear that someone might see him. And his image was tarnished enough already without rumors of him sprinting through the halls. 

After what felt like an eternity, Akaashi got back to his room. He barricaded himself inside, locking the door behind him before trying to wrestle off his body jewelry. It fastened behind his neck, and after a few seconds he gave up, collapsing onto his bed. 

Keiji wrapped his arms around his legs and buried his face into his knees. Tears that he’d been holding back since leaving the ballroom finally leaked out onto his face, silently pouring down his cheeks. His fingers flexed around his calves, digging little half moons into the skin. 

The queen’s words rang around in his head, echoing cruelly as he tried to pull himself together. His sole purpose here was to be Karasuno’s presence in Fukurodani, and he had just utterly ruined his reputation. Once everyone heard about the queen’s disapproval they would agree with her, even if they had been there to hear Bokuto’s explanation. 

And what would Koutarou think? Surely, he would be angry with him for making his mother upset. And once he was sober he would probably agree with her. Bokuto had probably only agreed to Oikawa’s stupid idea because he had been drinking. If he’d been thinking about how the performance would affect his image, he definitely would have refused. 

Eventually, the tears stopped, but Akaashi couldn’t get his breathing to even out. It hitched erratically, moving in and out of his lungs before he could really absorb the air. He felt light-headed and sick to his stomach. 

He pulled his fingers through his hair, trying to find anything to ground himself when there was a tentative knock at his door. His eyes snapped forward, recognizing that the knock hadn’t come from his front door, but from the one that connected to Bokuto’s room. 

There was another knock, louder this time. 

“Keiji?” Koutarou’s voice was just audible from the other side of the door, “Keiji, I know you’re in there.”

Akaashi stared at the door, then reluctantly pulled himself off the bed and onto his feet. A quick glance in his mirror made him wince. He looked terrible. 

“What do you want, Prince Koutarou?” he asked through the door.

“Keiji!” Bokuto exclaimed at the response, “Please open the door?”

Akaashi considered refusing, but didn’t have the energy to be uncooperative. He unlocked his side of the door and pulled it open. Koutarou was seated on the other side, leaning against the wall. He scrambled to his feet when he saw Keiji, his expression shifting to concern once he could see Akaashi’s face. 

His hands came up to Keiji’s cheeks, and stroked the fresh tear tracks there. “Keiji, what’s the matter? You did a wonderful job, no one is upset with you.”

Akaashi fixed his husband with a cold stare, “Don’t lie to me.”

Koutarou shook his head frantically, “I’m not! My mother didn’t get it, is all. She’s um… still not quite sure about the whole thing. But she’s not mad! Just confused.”

Akaashi pushed Bokuto’s hands away from his face, “I heard her talking to you. She called me a whore.”

Koutarou looked stricken, “That’s…. she did say that. But I told her everything, Keiji, and she didn’t mean it! You’re not… nobody sees you that way.”

“This was a mistake.” Akaashi told him, “I will apologize publicly for the performance tomorrow, and I will do my best to rebuild the way your people see me. I made a poor decision.”

Bokuto grabbed his hand, “Keiji, no. Why are you so upset? You didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why you aren’t listening, nobody is mad. We were just having a good time, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Akaashi yanked his hand away, “Yes, there is!” He felt anger bubbling up in his chest, pushing poisonously up into his throat, “I am not here to have a good time!”

For the first time since he’d met him, Bokuto appeared to be speechless, shocked by Akaashi’s raised voice. 

“I didn’t come to Fukurodani to have fun.” Akaashi continued, tremors making their way into his voice.

“My country is under attack, and my people are in danger. The only purpose I have here is to ensure that you never, ever, leave us at the mercy of Shiratorizawa. And today I landed myself on the queen’s shit list.” He spat out the words, fury growing as he spoke. “Do you understand why I’m upset now?”

In some distant corner of his mind, Keiji could recognize that he was being irrational. But his inhibitions were still lowered, and it felt so good to just be _angry._ “I’m not here because I want to be, Koutarou!” He hissed, “Marrying you is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do, and thanks to my little stunt tonight it might have all been for nothing.”

Koutarou took a step away from him, hurt lancing through his features as he absorbed Akaashi’s words. “Um… I’m sorry, Keiji.”

“So am I.” Akaashi replied, turning away from his husband. 

“Everything… everything really is okay with my mom, you know. Things will proceed as planned tomorrow. My army will still defend your people. Your… Your sacrifice won’t be for nothing.”

Akaashi nodded stiffly, still refusing to look at Bokuto. 

The space between them was quiet for a few moments, before Keiji heard Koutarou turn around and retreat to his own room. The door shut behind him, and Keiji heard it lock from Koutarou’s side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're interested, this is the performance I used as a reference for Akaashi and Oikawa's dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCfxHe5Tfx0  
> Different music, of course, but the dancer is beautiful. 
> 
> I'm sorry that this is where the real shit starts!


	12. Chapter 12

Keiji woke in the morning with a splitting headache and many regrets. He pressed his palms against his eyes until stars popped up behind his eyelids, pushing against the throbbing pain there. Memories from last night were blurry, but they came into focus as he was dragged further into consciousness. 

_God, what a mess_. He thought ruefully. The whole night had been a mistake, from start to finish. He’d made a fool of himself, pissed off the queen of Fukurodani, and yelled at Bokuto. And he would need to deal with all of those things today. 

Akaashi stared up at his ceiling, contemplating the consequences of just throwing himself off a balcony. It probably wasn’t worth it—he was pretty sure that his spirit was bitter enough to stick around, and then he’d still be stuck but also dead. 

He sighed and sat up, grabbing a blanket to wrap around himself before going to the washbasin to rinse his face. His reflection showed that he looked as bad as he felt. The purple under his eyes betrayed how little sleep he’d gotten, and his skin was red and blotchy, still swollen from crying. 

There was a soft knock on his door. 

“Keiji?” Oikawa tentatively asked on the other side. “Are you awake?”

Akaashi dried off his face, then rewrapped his blanket tightly around his shoulders. “Come in, Tooru.”

The door creaked open, and Oikawa’s head popped inside. 

“I brought tea.” He announced, holding out a steaming mug like a peace offering. “I drank some earlier, and it helps.”

Keiji reached out for the cup with his covered hands, holding the tea carefully between the ends of his blanket. He turned and walked back to his bed, sitting against the pillows. 

Oikawa was watching him nervously, expecting him to be angry. Akaashi just patted the space next to him, inviting his friend to come sit. 

Tooru rushed over, pressing himself against Akaashi’s side before he started rattling off questions, “Are you okay? Did Bokuto get in trouble? Is the queen upset with us?”

Akaashi shook his head, “I can’t talk about it yet. My head hurts.”

Oikawa pouted but didn’t press for more information. 

Akaashi took a sip of his tea, “Did Iwaziumi like our performance?”

Tooru flushed and ducked his head, “Um… yeah. He did. He said that he thought it was very interesting.”

Despite his miserable mood, Keiji couldn’t keep a shit eating grin off his face at Oikawa’s embarrassment, “Oh, did he? Interesting how?”

Tooru slapped his arm and buried his head in Akaashi’s shoulder, “Don’t tease me, Keiji, it’s not nice. I couldn’t even properly take advantage of the situation because I was so worried about you.”

“I’m flattered, Tooru. You actually prioritized my well being over your hopelessly convoluted plot to get laid.”

Oikawa just huffed, letting the jab slide. He picked his head up enough to look at Akaashi, “We’re leaving today.”

Keiji sighed, “Yeah. I know.”

“I don’t want to be separated. I wish you’d never agreed to go on the reconnaissance mission.” Tooru pushed himself further into Akaashi’s side, and Keiji indulged him, his own head falling to rest on Oikawa’s fluffy bedhead. 

“I know. But we’ll both be fine. And considering the… circumstances… it’s probably best for me to be separated from Koutarou for a while.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened, “You guys had a fight?”

“Not really.” Akaashi admitted, “Bokuto tried to comfort me, and I screamed at him. I was drunk, and I said hurtful things.”

Tooru’s hand shifted, and his pinky wrapped around Keiji’s, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. It will be good for us to have some time to be apart and think. I handled the situation poorly, but everyone will come back with a clearer head.” Akaashi said, hoping it was true.

* * *

The breakfast table was tense as Kuroo tried to ignore and smooth over the tension between his two friends. 

Akaashi was polite but distant, barely responding to the increasingly desperate attempts at conversation Kuroo was throwing out. Bokuto was just pushing food around his plate, his eyes only coming up to look at Keiji when he thought the other man wasn’t looking. 

Kuroo cleared his throat, “Well. We should be prepared to ride out by noon. Do either of you have additional things to get ready?”

Akaashi nodded, “Yes. I’d like to organize a public apology to the…”

“No.” Bokuto spoke his first words since sitting down, “You’re not doing that.”

“Prince Koutarou it is only proper for me…”

“I will not let you.” The morose look in Bokuto’s eyes had been replaced with angry determination, “I may not be what you wanted, but I’m still your husband. And I forbid it.”

His chair screeched across the floor as he pushed it back, standing and walking away before Kuroo or Akaashi had the chance to respond. 

Tetsurou slowly turned to Keiji, his eyes wide and questioning. Akaashi was staring straight forward, his eyes locked on the spot where Bokuto had just disappeared. After a moment of complete stillness, Akaashi raised his napkin to his mouth, dabbing gently. He set the cloth on the table and silently stood up and exited the dining hall.

* * *

Leaving Hyltan Keep with Kenma and the others felt freeing, Akaashi thought as their small group broke off from the larger infantry and began to chart a course towards a village that had recently been conquered. He still felt awful, but at least he didn’t feel like he was being watched while he felt awful. 

Kenma’s presence was calming and quiet in a way that Akaashi appreciated, so he stuck close to the small strategist. Meanwhile, Hinata and Kageyama raced ahead, Yaku resentfully going after them to break up any fights. 

“How did you pick this team, Kozume-san?” Akaashi asked quietly, as they observed the squabbling duo from a distance. 

Kenma sighed, “They’re troublesome, but Shouyou and Tobio work best when they’re together. Shouyou is indispensable when it comes to gathering information; he has a knack for speaking to the right people at the right time. And Kageyama has a quick mind that can break down and analyze the overwhelming amount of material Shouyou finds. And I brought Yaku so someone else would babysit them for me.”

Akaashi huffed in amusement, and Kenma smiled a little before continuing, “Actually, Yaku is here because he’s dependable. There’s nobody else I’d rather have behind me. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a fight or you just need dinner, Morisuke will be right there, prepared before you can even ask.”

Keiji nodded, and the two men continued their ride in silence.

* * *

The five men had a solid week of travelling and camping before they were anywhere near the lands Shiratorizawa was targeting, but Akaashi found that travelling with his companions was entertaining. 

Kageyama and Hinata provided constant drama in the form of increasingly ridiculous competitions, and even more amusing were Yaku’s reactions to their childish antics. He grew closer to Kenma as they rode together at the back of the group. Kenma’s stoic energy was very similar to his own, and even without lots of conversation, Keiji felt a kinship with him. 

It was only at night, when everyone had settled down into their cots and the fire began to die, that Keiji’s thoughts caught up with him. 

He tossed and turned as he remembered that last disastrous interaction with Bokuto, who had looked so angry and hurt as he spat out the words, _“I may not have been what you wanted…”_

Keiji didn’t understand why he felt so guilty about that statement. This marriage wasn’t something that either of them wanted, political marriages never were. But he couldn’t deny that he’d found some degree of happiness in Fukurodani. He was making friends and building a life—he could clearly see a future where he was perfectly content to be with Bokuto in Hyltan Keep. 

But he’d made Bokuto think he was miserable. 

Keiji pulled his blankets up tighter to his face, sniffling as a breeze made it’s way into his fortress of fabric. 

“Keiji?” A soft voice drifted through the darkness, “Are you still awake?”

“Yes. Did I disturb you, Kozume-san?”

Kenma scooted his cot closer, dragging his blankets across the ground behind him, “No, I just can’t sleep sometimes.”

Akaashi hummed, “I understand. I haven’t been sleeping well since we left the Keep.”

“Is something bothering you?” Kenma’s eyes peered into his own, and Akaashi had the uncomfortable feeling that Kenma already knew the answer to his question.

“Well… I don’t know.” Akaashi almost left it there, but the darkness has a way of drawing secrets out of people. Worry and guilt bubbled up into his throat, until he had to confess, “Something happened with Bokuto-san before we left.”

Kenma just waited, his gaze inviting Keiji to continue. 

“After the… um, the dance. I heard the queen chastising Koutarou. She thought that my behavior was damaging his reputation. It upset me. ” Akaashi paused, catching his breath, “Afterwards, Bokuto came to me and tried to tell me it was okay, but I… I acted badly. I yelled and cried and told him that I never wanted to come to Fukurodani. And I only married him because I had to.”

Akaashi’s throat felt thick as he admitted, “I think I really hurt him.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, and Akaashi was afraid to look over and see judgment in Kenma’s eyes. But the smaller man just asked, “How do you feel about Koutarou?”

Akaashi blinked, “Well… I want him to be happy. He’s so much kinder than I could have ever guessed when we were first betrothed. I don’t want this treaty to impact him any more than it has to.”

The night fell quiet, long enough that Akaashi thought the conversation might be over. 

“Did you know that Koutarou thinks you’re sleeping with Tetsurou?” 

The quiet question made Akaashi sit up in surprise, eyes wide “What? How do you know?”

Kenma just looked at him and shrugged, “He was telling the taxidermy pygmy owl about it in the library. He doesn’t know that I do research back there. I know things about Koutarou that you wouldn’t believe, he tells that pygmy owl literally everything.”

Akaashi felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that was just revealed to him. “But… I thought Bokuto-san and Kuroo were… I thought they were together.”

Kenma nodded, “That’s understandable, but they’ve only ever been friends. Very dear friends, but never romantic.”

Keiji’s head fell back onto his pillow, and his eyes scanned the thick leaves above them, wishing they held the answers to the buzzing questions in his head. 

Kenma turned around, settling deeper into his bed, “I just thought you should know. Try to get some rest before morning.”

“Thank you, Kozume-san.”

“Go to sleep, Keiji.”

* * *

In the morning, they planned to finally arrive at the community they had set out for. They left anything that might identify them as courtesans from Fukurodani behind them at camp, and dressed as a small group of nomads as they entered the town. 

It seemed… surprisingly normal for a place recently taken by invaders. The people in the streets flowed lazily from one place to another, stopping to talk and laugh with their neighbors. Hinata bounced ahead of their group, effortlessly engaging people in small talk. For once, Kageyama let Shouyou stay in front, preferring to hang behind Yaku. 

Akaashi could instantly see what Kenma meant about Hinata’s ability to gather information—people turned to him and opened up like flowers towards the sun, smiling and talking before they even realized they’d stopped walking. He glanced back at Kageyama, and the tall man’s eyes were following Hinata with hawk-like focus. Keiji could practically see him analyzing the small talk behind his bright blue gaze, sorting through the endless barrage of details Shouyou was gathering. 

Kenma glanced up at him, a slight smirk on his face. Akaashi nodded back at him, thoroughly impressed at how perfectly his system worked. 

They made their way through town like that, slowly making their way to the social centerpiece: a tea house. 

The small establishment bustled with activity, and their small band slipped in entirely unnoticed. They ordered soup from a frazzled but kind elderly woman, and once their lunch came back they settled down to talk. 

“What do you think, Tobio?” Kenma asked, blowing delicately at his steaming spoon. 

Kageyama’s brows furrowed seriously, “I don’t know yet. It seems like Shiratorizawa has no interest in frightening the people or taking anything. They’ve imposed a tax, but the only people who seemed bothered by it were the man selling corn, and that woman who was grinding up flour.”

Everyone nodded, sipping at their soup as they pondered the information. 

“We should go speak with the farmers.” Akaashi proposed, putting down his bowl for a moment, “If the people selling pottery and fabric are less bothered by the tax than those producing food, it’s possible that it’s affecting some merchants differently than others.”

Kageyama cocked his head to the side, fixing Akaashi with a slightly unnerving stare, “That’s… really good. How did you think of that?”

Keiji tried not to squirm under the intense gaze, returning to his soup, “It seems logical.”

“Stop staring, idiot!” Hinata shouted at Kageyama around a mouthful of bread, “You can’t just stare at people you are smarter than you!”

Kageyama swung around to argue with Hinata, and Akaashi breathed a sigh of relief. 

“It is a good idea, Keiji.” Kenma told him, “We should split up this afternoon. You can take someone to go speak with a few of the local farmers, and I can take the rest to explore the remainder of the town.”

“I want to go with Prince Keiji.” Kageyama was instantly torn from his argument with Hinata, “Can I?”

Kenma looked to Akaashi, wordlessly asking if that would be alright. Keiji hesitated for just a moment. Kageyama could be… intense, but he really just seemed genuinely interested in learning from others. 

“That’s fine. Kageyama can come with me.”

Tobio turned to Hinata triumphantly, “You see! No one thinks I’m weird!”

The two youngest members of their group bickered while the rest of them watched bemusedly, eating their soup.

Once Yaku looked to be on his last legs of patience, Akaashi stood up, “Are you finished, Kageyama-kun? We should head out.”

Kageyama pushed out of his chair eagerly, falling easily behind Akaashi. 

“We’ll meet you back here at dusk.” Kenma reminded them, “We’ve paid for a few rooms so we won’t have to sleep outside. They have a stable for the horses, as well.”

Keiji nodded, “Alright, we’ll see you soon.”

They exited the inn and began heading out of town and towards the fields.

* * *

They were walking on the outskirts of town, finally leaving the densely packed huts for the more open agricultural land surrounding them. 

Suddenly, Kageyama froze behind Akaashi. He’d been shadowing the older man quietly since they’d left the tea house, and Akaashi turned to his companion, who was staring at the ground, both hands at his right hip. 

“I…” Kageyama looked embarrassed, “I have to go back.”

“What’s wrong?” Keiji asked. 

“When we go into villages, Sho—Hinata always gives me his knife because he doesn’t want to scare people. But now that I’m not there…” Kageyama looked worried, “He doesn’t have a weapon, what if he needs it?”

Akaashi observed Kageyama for a moment, not quite sure what the big deal was. After all, Hinata would have Kenma and Yaku with him. But Kageyama’s hand was flexing around the extra knife blade anxiously, and Keiji could see that if he didn’t go back now, he would be distracted until they met up with the others. 

“Go ahead and go back.” Akaashi decided, “Just stay with the others, I can handle this on my own.”

Kageyama grimaced, “I… I shouldn’t leave you alone.”

Akaashi shook his head, “I can take care of myself, Kageyama. Go.”

Kageyama stood frozen to the spot for another few seconds before nodding gratefully, “Please be careful, Prince Keiji. Go back to the tea house as soon as you can.”

Akaashi nodded and shooed the other man away, who turned and sprinted back towards town. 

Keiji turned back towards the farmhouse they’d set out for in the first place, ignoring the itch at the back of his mind that said he really shouldn’t be alone.

The feeling of paranoia only grew as he got further from the hustle and bustle of town, replaced by the rustling and clicking sounds of nature. 

He turned around several times on the path, just to make sure he wasn’t being followed. There was never anybody there, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Keiji was nearly to his destination, reaching a pretty grove of trees that surrounded the farmhouse. 

He was just about to emerge from the trees into the yard, when he felt the chilling sensation of metal against his back. 

Keiji froze, afraid to breath as the point against his back was removed, but quickly replaced against his neck. A warm arm circled his chest and held him there, a short blade pressed into the space below his chin. 

“Well, well, well, I thought I recognized you, Akaashi Keiji.” An unfamiliar voice chuckled in his ear. “Wakatoshi will be very pleased to see what I found today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweating* I'm so sorry


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Look who's back early!

Outside the window of the teahouse, Kenma could see the sun beginning to go down, and he was growing increasingly worried. Kageyama had joined their group a few hours ago, and surely Keiji should have returned by now. Even if he’d gotten caught up speaking with the people working outside of the city, they’d agreed to be back by dusk. 

He could also tell that he wasn’t the only one getting nervous. Kageyama wasn’t speaking, just staring out the window with a stormy expression, his eyebrows furrowed and mouth tight. Even Hinata was quiet, eyes bouncing from Kageyama to Kenma to Yaku, obviously not wanting to be the first one to bring up the problem. 

Kenma sighed, “The sun hasn’t set yet—he might just be running late.”

Three sets of doubtful eyes landed on him, and Kenma flinched. “I… I know we’re all worried. But there’s really no reason to overreact.”

Kageyama’s gaze returned to the window, “We should go look for him.”

Hinata nodded eagerly, “Yeah, we should get out there. Just sitting here and waiting is actually going to kill me.”

As reluctant as he was to admit that something had happened, Kenma was starting to agree with them, “Yaku, what do you…”

“Excuse me, sirs?” A timid voice interrupted him. 

A waitress stood next to their table, holding an envelope in her hands, “Sorry to interrupt, but I was asked to give this to you.”

She handed over the letter, and Yaku took it, nodding politely. The waitress excused herself, and the three men were left staring at the envelope. 

Kenma felt cold, his mouth dry and tight. 

“Please open it, Morisuke.” he asked, voice soft. 

Yaku slit the envelope with his finger, pulling out a single piece of paper. 

_Greetings owlets,_  
_You seem to have misplaced a consort! I’m happy to say that he is safe and sound, but you should really learn a few things about the care and keeping of princes. Inform Bokuto Koutarou that Shiratorizawa has his husband. King Ushijima is willing to make hostage negotiations in five days in Nekomata. See you there!_  
_General Tendou Satori_

Yaku read the letter aloud, the edges tearing a little as he clenched the paper in his hands. 

Kenma closed his eyes, breathing deeply in an attempt to stave off panic. His ears rang uncomfortably, and the tea house was suddenly far too busy for him to think clearly. 

Kageyama shoved away from the table roughly, stomping outside and slamming the door behind him. 

“We need to get to Koutarou as soon as possible.” Yaku pointed out from across the table, “How far from our location are they currently?”

Kenma squeezed his eyes extra hard for just a moment before snapping them open and answering, “Koutarou and Tetsurou are a two days ride from here.”

“We can go faster than that!” Hinata chirped, “Tobio and I! Send us ahead! We can make it to base camp in a day if we ride as hard as we can.”

Kenma nodded, “That’s a good idea, you two will be much faster without us. You and Kageyama will leave together and get the news to Koutarou. Yaku and I will follow behind at a slower pace.”

Hinata nodded seriously, “I’ll go tell Kageyama, and then we’ll go get the horses ready.”

He darted away from the table and out the door, and Kenma let his chin fall to his chest, closing his eyes again. 

Yaku cleared his throat, “Um. I’m going to go help with the horses.” He stood and followed Hinata out, leaving Kenma alone to feel guilty about how grateful he was that he wouldn’t be the one breaking the news to Bokuto.

* * *

Oikawa was out alone for a short walk when he heard galloping horses approaching from the east. His hand immediately went to the bow on his back, but he relaxed when he saw the distinctive blazon of yellow worn on the belt of Fukorodani’s soldiers. 

The horses slowed as they approached camp, and Oikawa raised a hand in greeting. He squinted curiously at the riders, and as they got closer he recognized the unique shade of orange hair belonging to the young man who’d been on the reconnaissance team. And it looked like he was accompanied by Kageyama Tobio, another member of the team. 

Oikawa looked around them, curious if the rest of the team was following behind, but it appeared like they were alone. 

“Hello!” he shouted once they were in earshot, “Have you found anything interesting yet?”

“We need to speak with Prince Koutarou.” The black haired rider ignored his question, “Where is he?”

The frantic tone worried Oikawa, “Has something happened?” he asked. 

“Where is Prince Koutarou?” Kageyama repeated, more forcefully this time. 

Oikawa grabbed the reigns of Kageyama's horse defiantly, “What happened?” he insisted, meeting the aggressive glare of the other man with no hesitation. 

Kageyama ripped his eyes away, staring at the ground as he admitted, “Prince Keiji has been taken hostage. We’ve come to inform base camp.”

Oikawa’s grip went slack, letting go of Kageyama’s horse. 

“Come on, Tobio.” Hinata urged his friend, “Someone will know where he is once we get to camp.”

The two young men rode away, leaving Oikawa alone to process what he’d been told. He blinked a few times, before he turned and sprinted after them.

* * *

Bokuto and Kuroo were pouring over a map with Iwazuimi, discussing the best places for their horses to cross the river, when Kageyama and Hinata burst into the command tent. 

They glanced at each other, confused, before turning to the two newcomers, “We weren’t expecting you all back so soon.” Kuroo started, “Do you have information already?”

Hinata shook his head, “No, we…”

Kageyama cut him off, “Prince Keiji is gone.”

The sentence hung in the air, sinking in. 

“He…” Bokuto’s voice broke, “He ran away?”

“What?” Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed, “No. He’s been taken hostage by Shiratorizawa. We have a letter from the general who captured him.”

He pulled the envelope from his belt, handing it over to Koutarou. As the prince opened up the piece of paper, the flap of the tent was torn open yet again. This time by Oikawa, completely out of breath. 

Tooru marched up to Kageyama, “How did this happen?” he demanded. 

Kageyama ducked his head, “It’s… it’s my fault, sir.” He forced his eyes back up to meet Oikawa’s, “I was supposed to accompany the prince to meet with members of the agricultural community outside of the city. We had split up so we could speak with more people. I realized that I had forgotten to give back an item to someone in the other group and went back to return it.”

At this point, everyone was looking at him. Kageyama swallowed hard, “I left Prince Keiji alone, and he was captured.”

He bowed low, “I am deeply sorry for my mistake.”

Silence.

“You’re sorry?” A hard voice repeated, and Kageyama flinched, pulling out of his bow to look back at Oikawa. 

The taller man looked furious, lips twisted and eyes shining with unshed tears, “My dearest friend is gone. And you are sorry?”

Kageyama didn’t know how to respond, his mouth hanging open as he grasped for something to say. 

Oikawa stepped further into his space, “Tell me something, Tobio. Are you working for Ushijima? Or are you actually so dim witted that you left your prince without any protection whatsoever in enemy territory?”

He pointed accusingly at Kageyama, “How does it feel to be solely responsible for our loss to Shiratorizawa? I guess it doesn’t matter much to you. After all, none of you in Fukurodani are actually at risk of losing anything. You’re not the ones being crushed under Ushijima’s boot—“

A warm hand wrapped around Oikawa’s wrist, pulling him back away from Kageyama. 

“Tooru.” Iwazuimi interrupted him firmly, “That’s enough. Let’s go for a walk.” 

For just a second, the heat in Oikawa’s eyes was turned on Hajime, but Iwazuimi stood his ground, holding Oikawa’s gaze. The angry tension in Tooru’s body began to melt, and his lip started to quiver. 

Iwazuimi could see the tears threatening to spill, and he quickly guided Oikawa out. He understood his friend well enough to know he would hate for everyone to see him cry openly.

It was absolutely still after they left, everyone frozen after Tooru’s open display of hostility. 

Hinata cleared his throat, and the stillness broke. Kageyama threw his helmet on the ground and practically bolted out of the tent, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. 

“Kageyama!” Hinata called after him, following him outside. 

Bokuto and Kuroo were left alone, and Koutarou looked to his friend with wide eyes. 

“Tetsu… what… what do we do?” he asked, voice small. 

Kuroo pulled Bokuto into a tight hug, “It’s going to be alright, Kou. We’re gonna get him back.” he reassured him. 

He thumped Koutarou on the back and let him go, holding him at arms length, “We head to Nekomata and meet Ushijima there. It sounds like they want to make some kind of trade. We’ll just give him what he wants, and then we’ll get Keiji back. Simple.”

Bokuto didn’t look convinced, “But Tetsu, he’s going to ask us to back off. Or worse, he’ll ask us to join his forces. We can’t abandon Karasuno, or any of the other southern countries that are being invaded.”

Kuroo sighed, “We’ll listen to his requests, at least. If it’s something we can’t do then… we’ll figure something out.”

Bokuto nodded fiercely, banishing the doubts that were still hanging at the edges of his thoughts, “We’ll figure something out.”

Kuroo smiled, “That’s right.”

* * *

“You know, you’re very calm for someone who’s just been captured by the strongest army in this hemisphere.”

Akaashi shrugged, “This isn’t my first time as a hostage, and I doubt you want to hurt me.”

His captor tilted his head curiously, “What if I do want to hurt you?”

“Well then there’s nothing I can do to stop you.”

Tendou nodded, “Makes sense. I don’t want to, by the way.”

They were riding together, Akaashi’s hands bound in front of him as the scarlet-haired man behind him held the reigns. 

“I hope we’re getting close, General. It’s been a long day, and I’m very tired.” Akaashi stated. 

Tendou chuckled, “So sorry to inconvenience you, Your Highness. And yes, just a few more miles and we’ll be at Wakatoshi’s encampment.”

Akaashi sighed and cracked his neck, keeping up his blasé attitude but feeling a flutter of anxiety in his stomach. He wasn’t scared of this strange soldier, but he didn’t know what to expect from Ushijima. 

“Ah, see.” Tendou pointed towards the horizon, “You can see the tents.”

Akaashi squinted into the setting sun, and he could just make out the silhouettes Tendou was talking about. He noted that there were an awful lot of them. 

Curious eyes followed them as they rode into camp, but Tendou just waved and continued on, riding towards a large tent near the front. 

“We’ve arrived, Your Highness.” Tendou slipped off the horse and helped Akaashi down. His grip on Keiji’s arm tightened when his feet hit the ground, and Akaashi gave him a look of disdain.

“I’m not going to run. Where would I go, General?” he asked. 

Tendou shrugged, “Dunno.” But he didn’t let go. 

He pushed aside the heavy canvas flap and dragged Akaashi through. “Wakatoshi!” he sing-songed, “I brought you a present!”

A hulking figure sat in front of them, pausing in the act of sharpening a sword when they entered. 

“Satori, this is a person.” the man stated plainly. 

Tendou grinned, “You’re powers of observation never disappoint. But this is a very special person. This is Akaashi Keiji, former prince of Karasuno and current consort of Koutarou Bokuto.”

Ushijima stood up, and Akaashi’s eyes widened. Shiratorizawa’s commander had a few inches on Keiji at least, and powerful arms led to broad shoulders. He was an intimidating figure, and Akaashi felt like a bug in his presence. 

_Oh, Koutarou._ He thought as he tried to look brave, _What have we gotten ourselves into?_


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys absolutely spoiled me with comments last week, and I can't thank you enough. It's so easy to be motivated when I'm getting positive feedback, so thank you for being the absolute best!

A fly buzzed against the canvas walls of the tent, tapping erratically against the fabric. Akaashi tracked it with his eyes, feeling irritation grow stronger with every moment. Any movements caused the rope around his wrists to chafe against his skin, and between the two sensations it was becoming difficult to keep himself from screaming out of pure frustration. 

As far as being held captive went, he was being treated well. But it had been three days, and he was ready to snap. Sitting idle here every day made him feel useless, and when he closed his eyes he couldn’t help but picture what he looked like to everyone here in Shiratorizawa’s camp—a damsel in distress, waiting for his husband to come and rescue him. 

He forced a sigh out through his nose, and he glared at the fly. It was difficult with his wrists tied together, but he pried a shoe off his foot. With measured movements, he crept up behind the offending insect, crushing it in a single burst of energy that felt supremely satisfying. 

It shook the sides of the tent when he hit it, and one of his guards poked in her head curiously, “Are you alright, Prince Keiji?”

Akaashi turned a fiery look towards the guard, “No. I’m not. Please take me to Ushijima.”

She pulled a face, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. He’s always very busy…”

Akaashi glared, "Take me to Ushijima. Now." 

* * *

The location of headquarters made it just possible for Koutarou, Tetsurou, and Tooru to make it to Nekomata the night before they’d been directed to meet with Ushijima. 

The ride was eerily quiet as they travelled, considering the usual volume of banter between Bokuto and Kuroo alone. But their party was infected with a somber mood, and communication was limited to quiet murmurs and muttered exchanges. 

Even when they stopped for the night, reluctantly setting up camp to get much needed rest, things stayed quiet. Nobody seemed willing to break the dark atmosphere that had settled above them. 

They made for a sad sight, but as they approached Nekomata there was a shift in the air around them. The depression that had followed them thus far was being replaced by an electrified, fearful excitement. Swollen eyes were replaced with determined looks, and for the first time in days it felt alright to make noise. 

That night around the fire, Koutarou cleared his throat and all eyes immediately snapped to him. 

“I know we’re all worried…” he started, “and I don’t want to make anyone more nervous. But we need to discuss the plan for tomorrow.”

They waited for him to continue. 

“We’re sure that Ushijima is going to ask for the removal of Fukurodani’s aid to the southern countries he is trying to invade. Obviously, we can’t give him that. We’ll do our very best to negotiate a better deal, but…” he hesitated, “I’m really not sure how that’s going to turn out.”

His eyes were hard as he stared into the flames, “I’m prepared to do whatever I need to in order to get Keiji back. If things start to go… badly, please do your best to support one another and get out. Leave me to take care of Keiji—I won’t be leaving without him.” 

Oikawa huffed, “That’s very noble of you, Koutarou, but I’m afraid I won’t follow orders to run if things go poorly. Keiji may be your husband, but I love him more than you do, and I also won't be leaving without him.”

“Yeah, fuck that.” Kuroo chimed in, “I’ll be right behind you, Bo. Somebody has to cover your back, and I certainly don’t trust pretty boy here to do it.”

Oikawa smirked, “You think I’m pretty?”

Bokuto scoffed, “Guys, I appreciate the sentiment, but really…”

“No. No ‘but really.’” Kuroo interrupted, “All jokes aside, we’re coming out of there tomorrow as a group of four or not at all. The end.”

Koutarou looked between the other two, and both men met his eyes firmly, ready to defend their right to risk themselves. 

“I…” he sighed in defeat, “Alright.” Despite his misgivings, Bokuto felt warmth swelling in his chest as he recognized the same resolve to get Keiji back in his two companions. Surely between the three of them, they could save him. 

“Well that’s it, I guess.” Bokuto stood up, dusting himself off, “We should do our best to rest before tomorrow.”

Kuroo and Oikawa nodded, and one by one they all crawled into their cots. Nobody spoke after that, but intuitively each person could feel that they weren’t the only ones unable to fall asleep.

* * *

They approached Shiratorizawa’s camp on horseback, leaving while the air was still crisp and chilly. Bokuto led them, Kuroo and Oikawa flanking him on both sides. 

Seeing the sheer size of Shiratorizawa’s force in comparison to their tiny group was ominous, and it felt like more and more tents appeared as they got closer. 

Once they were within earshot of the guards outside of the camp, Bokuto leaned forward onto his horse’s neck and shouted, “Go get Ushijima! Tell him Fukurodani has arrived for their prince!”

There was a flurry of activity as someone was sent to deliver the news, and the three men waited, feeling antsy as time stretched and tension mounted. 

Eventually, they spotted a disturbance as two figures emerged from the center of camp to the perimeter. 

Huge and intimidating, Ushijima made his way towards them, but more shocking was his companion. Unbound, leading the way, was Akaashi. 

Once he was close enough to clearly see his friends, Keiji smirked, “Bokuto-san, I’m so glad that you’re here. Please leave your horses with the guards—they’ll be taken care of.”

Identical expressions of shock were mirrored on Bokuto, Kuroo, and Oikawa’s faces as Akaashi turned his back, “Follow me, we’ve been waiting for you.”

* * *

Bokuto felt like he’d entered some kind of mirror dimension. He was seated next to Akaashi, who was quietly eating to the right of Ushijima. Koutarou glanced across the table at Kuroo, who met his questioning look with an equally confused expression. 

Keiji sniffed, “Well. I’m sure you all have a lot of questions.”

Bokuto hoped that the look he gave Akaashi properly conveyed how much of an understatement that was. 

“Ushijima-sama, could you please explain to my friends what we discussed the other day?” Akaashi asked, folding his hands in front of him. 

Ushijima nodded seriously, “Akaashi had many questions for me. I explained to him that since closing the country, Shiratorizawa has experienced an unsustainable growth in population. My predecessor believed that by locking out newcomers, he would prevent the eventual unbalance of people to resources. Unfortunately his strategy was unsuccessful. It has become increasingly difficult to produce enough food to keep all of our people fed and healthy.”

Ushijima paused, and Keiji took over, “Their solution to this problem has been to acquire more land to farm. This explains why their military has been so focused on conquering as much as they can as quickly as possible, and also why the tax on captured towns was focused on agricultural products. Shiratorizawa needs food.”

Bokuto’s eyes bounced from his husband to Ushijima as he processed this information. It all made plenty of sense, but…

“It’s wonderful that you’ve gotten all this information, Keiji.” Oikawa interjected, “But that doesn’t explain why we’re all gathered around this table pretending like Ushijima didn’t try to conquer our homeland and kidnap you.” His tone was sharp and pointed, “Because I’m a little more interested in that.”

Bokuto looked back to Keiji, waiting for his answer. 

Akaashi smiled, “You’re a little late to the discussion, Tooru. Yesterday, Ushijima agreed to enter into a treaty with Karasuno and Fukurodani. We haven’t worked out the details or signed anything yet, obviously, but it appears that we are going to be able to come to an agreement that will be beneficial for everyone.”

Bokuto stared at his husband, not quite able to believe what he was hearing. As he delivered the news, Akaashi glowed with a quiet pride. Koutarou couldn’t tear his eyes away from the soft curl of his lips, the only outward expression of how pleased he was with himself. Keiji looked confident, commanding, and devastatingly beautiful. 

Oikawa made a disbelieving noise, “Didn’t Karasuno offer Shiratorizawa a treaty before this whole mess started?”

Akaashi looked at Ushijima, prompting him to explain. 

“Well.” Ushijima started, “I’ve always believed that treaties are temporary, fragile solutions that depend far too much on the actions of others. Strength and power are the only ways to ensure that you always have what you need. However…” he glanced at Akaashi, “Prince Keiji has done an admirable job of convincing me that an agreement will be more successful and less wasteful than military conquest. I am willing to give it a try.”

Kuroo looked dubious, “And what terms do you have in mind?”

“That’s right.” Oikawa joined in, “This change of attitude is interesting, but we’ll need to talk about specifics and get things down in writing before I’m willing to play nice with you.”

Ushijima stared at Tooru for a moment, his gaze intense and curious. Just as things began to get awkward, Keiji explained, “I am able to negotiate on behalf of Karasuno. If you are willing, Bokuto-san, you can act for Fukurodani.”

Bokuto nodded, still feeling dazed from the unexpected change in circumstances. He’d been fully convinced that they would be forced to charge into Shiratorizawa and fight tooth and nail to rescue Akaashi. Instead he found his husband comfortably leading Ushijima around by the nose, orchestrating the end of a war as if he were planning a dinner party. 

He looked at his husband with a newfound awe and appreciation. Keiji didn’t need saving—he would save himself and the rest of them with him. The thought made him smile, and without thinking Bokuto reached over and took Akaashi’s hand. 

“Let’s do this.” he agreed, beaming so brightly that Akaashi couldn’t help but smile back.

* * *

Negotiations were surprisingly simple. Ushijima wasn’t a greedy man, and Akaashi was right—they just needed food. 

They forged a three-way agreement between the countries, with Shiratorizawa providing military support for both countries in exchange for produce and grain. Akaashi and Bokuto promised that immigrants from Shiratorizawa would be welcomed into their countries, and Ushijima promised to open up his borders and give foreigners the opportunity to succeed in Shiratorizawa. 

After arguing about minutia for the better part of the afternoon, Oikawa had written out a final draft for them to sign. 

“Now we just need to finalize the treaty, correct Prince Keiji?” Ushijima asked solemnly, and Akaashi nodded. 

“Good. I will not need to visit Fukurodani, as I have already chosen Oikawa Tooru as my consort.”

Ushijima’s statement hung in the air for a moment as everyone else registered what he’d just said. 

Oikawa looked utterly horrified, mouth moving but no words coming out. He sputtered indignantly, torn between storming out and slapping Ushijima across the face. 

“What?” Akaashi finally asked, his voice carefully measured. 

Ushijima’s eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, “You told me that when Karasuno aligned itself with Fukurodani, you were chosen as Prince Koutarou’s consort. This is how you ensured that your countries would be firmly tied together. It would have been ideal if I could take you as a consort, Prince Keiji, but unfortunately you are already married. So I have chosen Oikawa to perform this function.”

Tooru looked like he was close to a stroke. 

“Ushijima-sama.” Akaashi started, tone still unaffected, “I’m afraid that you cannot have Tooru.”

Ushijima looked perplexed, “It does not bother me that he is not of royal heritage. Throughout this process he has proved himself to be intelligent and capable. He has ties with both Karsuno and Fukurodani. And I also find him quite beautiful.”

Bokuto made eye contact with Kuroo across the table, and immediately had to restrain a laugh. 

“I’m not marrying you!” Oikawa screeched, finally finding his voice. 

Bokuto’s eyes watered as he tried to keep his expression flat, laughter threatening to bubble out of him. 

“I’m sorry, Ushijima-sama” Akaashi tried to explain, “But neither of our countries are offering you a consort.”

“Hmph.” Was Ushijima’s only response, his expression still puzzled. 

There was a solid few seconds of quiet before it was broken by a snort of laughter, and Bokuto looked up in amazement at Akaashi, who was trying to hide his expression behind his hand. 

But it was too late. The one giggle was all it took for Kuroo to break down into a full-scale hyena cackle, and Koutarou couldn’t help but follow behind. Akaashi's shoulders shook as he gave in to laughter. 

Oikawa was yelling at them, and Ushijima looked even more confused than before, but Bokuto couldn’t bring himself to care. The three of them dissolved into uncontrollable laughter, grasping at each other desperately as they gasped for breath, and for the first time since they’d left Hyltan Keep, Bokuto felt like maybe things were okay again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *history of japan jingle* it's time for confessions...

Being back at the Keep should feel better than this, Oikawa thought to himself as he lay on his bed, staring out the window. 

The sun had been up for a few hours, and it struck him that this was the only time he’d ever watched it breach the tree line from his room. At this time he should be out at the stables, pestering Iwazuimi, but that really wasn’t an option any more. He turned away from the window, feeling like his heart had sunken down to his stomach.

After he’d lost his temper with Kageyama, Hajime had dragged him outside and Oikawa had ugly cried until his head hurt. Just remembering the incident made Tooru feel like crawling out of his skin with embarrassment. 

Iwazuimi had stayed quiet throughout the whole ordeal, pulling Oikawa against his shoulder roughly and letting him soak his shirt with tears. Oikawa had blubbered out apologies while he cried, but Hajime’s only response had been to hush him and pull him tighter against him. It took a while, but eventually he’d run out of energy and quieted down. Hajime had led him to his tent and forced him to lie down and rest.

Oikawa buried his head in his pillows and groaned out loud. He’d acted like a child, and now he could never face Hajime again. They might as well just give his horse to someone else, because he was never returning to the stables. Ever. 

Just as he was really getting deep into the wells of his own self-pity, someone pounded on his door. 

Tooru didn’t respond. Whoever it was could come back later. 

They knocked again, even louder this time, accompanied by a shout, “Hey! I know you’re in there, Tooru.” 

Oikawa sat up straight, eyes wide. That was Iwa-chan. And he was using his angry voice. 

He eyed the door nervously, not sure how to respond. He wasn’t going to answer it—that was for damn sure…

“I’m coming in!” The knob turned, and Oikawa panicked. He rolled sideways off the edge of his bed, crouching on the other side, where Iwazuimi wouldn’t be able to see him. 

Iwazuimi opened the door, and Tooru buried his head in his knees, unable to believe his own stupidity. 

_Please, god._ Oikawa prayed silently, _If you’re up there, please don’t let Iwa-chan find me hiding behind my bed. Please._

He held his breath, hoping to hear the click of his door shutting as Iwazuimi gave up, but instead he heard footsteps getting closer. 

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Oikawa wished he could melt through the floor. 

He emerged from his knees, smiling brightly, “Ah, Iwa-chan! I was just meditating…”

“Were you hiding from me?” Iwazuimi cut him off.

Tooru’s smile froze, “O-Of course not. Iwa-chan thinks everything is about him.”

Hajime just stared at him, obviously not buying a word of it. 

Oikawa pushed himself off the floor, dusting off the seat of his pants, “Well, I was done… meditating… anyways, but I have some things I have to discuss with Keiji this morning. He’s expecting me, so I should really get going…”

“It’s ten o’clock.” Hajime informed him, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Oh, I forgot!” Oikawa waved his hand dismissively, “I meant to tell you that I don’t think I want to go riding anymore. It was silly to do it in the first place; we’re both so busy. I’m sorry, I meant to tell you, but it slipped my mind.”

Iwazuimi’s eyebrows scrunched up above his nose, “Would you stop trying to bullshit me? What’s wrong with you?”

Oikawa choked on his reply, his flippant reply getting caught in his throat. Keeping up his façade was so difficult when he was with Hajime. His dark eyes pierced straight through the smoke screens he put up and stared directly at whatever he was trying to hide. 

Tooru sighed and folded into himself, dropping to sit on his bed. “I just don’t want to go riding anymore, Iwa-chan. You don’t have to take me from now on.”

“Why not?” Iwazuimi demanded. 

Oikawa huffed, “Does it matter? I’m not forcing you to do it anymore, so just say thank you and let it go.”

Iwazuimi raised one eyebrow, “Tooru, you’re not forcing me to do anything. If I didn’t want to go riding with you, I would have found a way out of it. As hard as it is for me to believe it, I actually… I enjoy spending time with you.”

Hajime sat next to him on the bed, “Is that what’s bothering you? You thought I didn’t want to be around you?”

Oikawa shook his head miserably, “It’s complicated, Iwa-chan.”

Iwazuimi frowned, “Explain it to me.”

Tooru’s chest clenched as he considered telling the truth. What did he have to lose? He’d already let go of Hajime in his head. This would just make for a clean break. 

“I think you’re pretty, Iwa-chan.” he confessed, his throat tight, “I made you go riding with me because I wanted to spend time with you. I thought that I could make you like me too, eventually. I thought there was a chance because you kept putting up with me even though I was annoying. But now…”

Oikawa’s voice broke, but he continued, “Now you’ve seen all of me. You saw me yell at a kid. You saw me be vindictive and malicious. You saw me break and cry. I can’t go riding with you anymore because I like you so much, and now everything is ruined.”

Oikawa stared down at his knees, fighting back the watery feeling building behind his eyes. 

Iwazuimi’s hand grasped his chin gently, forcing him to look up into the other man’s eyes. 

“You’re an idiot.” Hajime told him.

Tooru tried to pull his face back, but Iwazuimi held him firmly. “You don’t get to pick and choose the pieces of people that you like. Did you really think that seeing you hurt would chase me away? It’s too late for me, Tooru, I already like all of you.”

Oikawa’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he inhaled sharply as Iwazuimi leaned forward and pressed their lips together. 

Hajime pulled away when Tooru didn’t respond, doubt creeping into his expression. “I’m… I’m sorry. That was too soon. I got carried away…”

Oikawa didn’t move a muscle, staring past Iwazuimi’s face at the wall. 

Iwazuimi flushed a deep red, turning away and rubbing at the back of his neck. “That was super cheesy, Tooru, I’m really sorry…”

Oikawa unfroze, smacking Hajime on the arm. “How dare you?” he gasped.

“I’m sorry…!”

“I had a plan for this!” Oikawa shrieked, “We were supposed to kiss outside! Underneath the trees—the sun making my hair shine and my skin glow. How could you kiss me for the first time on my unmade bed, while my eyes are swollen, and I’m getting snot everywhere? I can’t believe you, Iwa-chan!”

Oikawa’s voice was shrill, but his eyes were bright. His smile was dopey, but for the life of him Tooru couldn’t seem to school his expression into something more alluring. 

Iwazuimi shoved him lightly, “God, you scared me!” he complained insincerely, grinning broadly, “Don’t do that, you idiot!”

Tooru’s expression softened, and he brought his hands up to cup both sides of Hajime’s face. “It wasn’t a good first kiss, Iwa-chan. We’re gonna need to try again.”

Iwazuimi nodded seriously, “It might take a lot of practice.”

Oikawa giggled, “I guess we’ll just have to keep trying until you can get it right.”

* * *

Akaashi’s heart felt like it was trying to leap out of his chest. He’d been standing next to the door between he and Bokuto’s room for at least ten minutes, trying to work up the nerve to knock. He knew what he needed to do. He just really, really didn’t want to. 

His hand came up to knock, but he pulled back at the last second. Glaring at his cowardly hand, Akaashi raised it again, committing this time. 

_Tap. Tap. Tap_

Instantly, he regretted the action. God, this was such a bad idea. 

On the other side, he could hear the soft thud of sock-covered feet approaching the door. Bokuto unlocked his side and swung it open, head tilted curiously. 

“Hey, Keiji. Did you need something?”

Akaashi swallowed thickly, but his mind was made up. He wouldn’t back out now. 

“I was just wondering if I could speak with you, Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto opened the door wider and grinned broadly, “Yeah, of course, come in.”

Keiji walked in and took a seat next to Koutarou’s fireplace. Bokuto sat across from him, and Akaashi took a second to just look at him. The light flickered across his husbands face, illuminating his big, friendly features. Back home, his family had always praised his ability to control his expression, but when he watched Bokuto, Akaashi felt like he should have been scolded for it instead. They should have taught him to hold his emotions in his face, because he’d never seen anything as beautiful as Bokuto’s overflowing feelings. 

Koutarou cleared his throat, and Keiji realized he’d been staring. He tore his eyes away, and began. 

“I had a lot of time to think while I was in Shiratorizawa. I felt so frustrated because I was just sitting and waiting for you to come get me, utterly useless.”

Bokuto clicked his tongue disapprovingly, “You weren’t useless, Keiji. By the time I got there, you’d already done everything, and you did it better than I would have.”

Akaashi nodded, “Thank you, I was getting to that. I had an epiphany while I was waiting for you. It hit me that I didn’t have to wait. There was nothing holding me back except this idea that I wasn’t supposed to. Hostages are supposed to sit quietly and wait to be ransomed. Consorts aren’t supposed to act on their own. But as I sat alone in that stupid tent, I realized that it was all bullshit.”

Koutarou smiled at that, pride shining off his face. 

Keiji felt emboldened by his approval, and he continued, “I came to Fukurodani with a certain idea of what I was supposed to do and who I was supposed to be, but… Koutarou you’ve been trying to tell me that I was wrong, I just wasn’t listening. You don’t want me to be a good consort; you want me to be me. I can act independently and choose the path in front of me.”

Bokuto squirmed happily, hanging off his every word. 

The fireplace cracked between them, and Akaashi took a moment to listen and enjoy the warmth, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath and snapped them back open again, leaning forward as he continued.

“I want to be an agent in my own future, and that’s the real reason I needed to talk to you, Bokuto-san. I need to tell you that you’ve become so much more to me than a political ally. You’ve become a wonderful friend to me, and…” Akaashi felt his eyes mist over, but he pushed forward, “And more than that. I think I’m falling in love with you, Koutarou. I know we’re already married, but I want to know if you will accept my feelings.”

Bokuto’s was smiling hard enough that his cheeks must hurt. Akaashi had to look away, overwhelmed by the adoration being directed at him. 

“Keiji, Keiji, Keiji, do you mean it?” Bokuto pressed, breathless with happiness. 

“Of course I mean it.” Akaashi told the floor, “Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it?”

All the air was pushed out of his lungs as a heap of person plopped into his lap. Keiji whipped his head up, staring at his grown-ass husband in disbelief. “Bokuto-san, this chair is not big enough for both of us. And you are very heavy.”

Bokuto beamed up at him, wriggling so that his legs hung off the arm of the chair and completely ignoring Keiji’s protests. 

“I accept your feelings.” Bokuto told him, “I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you my whole life.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes, “That’s impossible, we were strangers just a few months ago.”

Koutarou shook his head, “Doesn’t matter. Can we kiss now?”

Keiji flushed, “We’re married, Koutarou, of course we can kiss.”

Bokuto wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled him down into an enthusiastic kiss. They pulled apart, and Keiji felt like his entire chest was expanding to make room for all the feelings inside him. The fire bathed them both in yellow light, and Akaashi wished that there was someone present to paint a picture of this moment. 

“We should do that again.” Bokuto told him, caressing his cheeks with both hands. 

Keiji contemplated it for a moment, enjoying the feeling of Koutarou’s fingers against his face. He felt so impossibly light, almost giddy as he basked in the obvious affection. He leaned in close, and Bokuto closed his eyes. With a weighty push, Akaashi shoved Koutarou onto the floor, nimbly jumping over him and making a break for his own room. 

“Keiji!” Koutarou squawked, “What was that for?” He scrambled to get back on his feet, tripping after Akaashi. “Keiji!”

Akaashi just laughed, reaching for the handle of his door. He’d nearly made it to safety when a hand griped his ankle. He screeched as Bokuto yanked him down to the floor with him, still smiling uncontrollably. 

Koutarou pinned him to the ground, “I’m going to get you back for that.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah? What are you going to do to me?”

“I don’t know, but it’s gonna be good.” Koutarou assured him. 

Akaashi relaxed in Bokuto’s hold, “Mm, I can’t wait.”

And as he contemplated the path he’d placed his feet on, Akaashi realized he meant it. He really, really couldn’t wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, my friends, I was not born to write fluff. I feel like this is a big old pile of goop, but I promise I did my best.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end! I can hardly believe it, but this chapter brings the story to a close. I hope that you enjoy it.

Transitioning from ‘friends’ to ‘lovers’ was… difficult. For Akaashi anyway. It seemed to come as naturally as breathing to Bokuto. 

Akaashi really didn’t see how things were supposed to change, besides, like… holding hands sometimes. But Bokuto had become a fountain of affection, as if he’d just been waiting for an opportunity to shower Akaashi with love. Constant touching, praise and affirmation had become a part of daily life. It was… overwhelming. But good. 

Keiji just didn’t feel like he was doing a very good job of reciprocating. 

“It’s so easy for him, Tooru!” Akaashi complained, face buried in his pillows, “Why is it so hard for me?”

Oikawa just shrugged, his head resting in the small of Akaashi’s back, “You’ve been emotionally constipated for as long as I’ve known you, Kei-chan. Falling in love doesn’t magically change that.”

Akaashi swatted uselessly at him, missing repeatedly as he refused to emerge from his pillow prison. “I’m not emotionally constipated. I confessed to him, remember? I’m very in touch with my feelings.”

Oikawa snorted, “Yeah, sure, but the problem isn’t recognizing your emotions. The problem is that you analyze them instead of feeling them. You squash them like little bugs before they can even show up on your face, much less result in a kiss or something.”

Akaashi just groaned in response.

“But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Kei-chan.” Oikawa reassured him, “That’s just who you are. It’s part of your mysterious allure.”

Keiji flipped over, making Oikawa squawk as he was displaced. “I don’t want to be alluring anymore!” Akaashi insisted, “Bokuto has already been successfully allured. I want… I want him to feel loved and appreciated, because that’s how he makes me feel all the time.”

“Oh my god.” Oikawa pouted cutely, “That’s adorable, Kei-chan. I know you’re having a problem, but that was the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

Akaashi grabbed both sides of Oikawa’s face and stared at him sternly, “I don’t want to say sweet things to you. I want to say sweet things to Bokuto. But I can’t.”

“Well why not?” Oikawa asked, “What’s stopping you?”

Akaashi dropped his hands and sighed, “I don’t know! It’s embarrassing, I guess. I’m always worried that he won’t like it or something. And it just feels... strange.”

Tooru raised an eyebrow, “You worry he won’t like it? Have you met Bokuto? He likes everything.”

Keiji nodded miserably, “I know. It’s stupid.”

Oikawa wrapped an arm around Keiji, “No, it’s not stupid. It’s normal to be insecure, Kei-chan. You guys have only been doing this for six months, but you'll figure it out, I promise.”

“Yeah.” Akaashi leaned into Oikawa’s shoulder, “I hope so.”

* * *

Akaashi had a plan. He’d decided to think of this as a challenge of sorts—he would try different strategies throughout the day and catalogue Bokuto’s reactions to find the ones that were most effective. The top two or three he would do his best to incorporate into his daily interactions with his husband. 

Foolproof. 

**Strategy One: Goodbye Kiss**

Akaashi’s current favorite way to say goodbye to Bokuto was to sleep through his departure. Koutarou liked to go on a run before their daily sparring session with Tetsurou. Keiji normally felt the bed jostle when Bokuto got up, but he ignored it in favor of getting an extra thirty minutes of sleep. 

Today he forced his eyes open when he felt the covers stir, following Bokuto with his ears as his husband got up and changed. Blearily, he sat up on the edge of the bed and waited for Bokuto to come out of the bathroom. 

Akaashi smiled fondly into the darkness as he realized that Bokuto carried his shoes instead of putting them on, trying to sneak out of the room as quietly as possible. 

“Koutarou.” he whispered, watching as Bokuto’s silhouette paused and turned towards the bed. He stood up and pushed Bokuto’s hair back as he kissed him on the cheek, “Bye. I’ll see you soon.”

Even though it was too dark to see, Keiji felt the skin beneath his lips grow hot. Koutarou reached up to hold his chin, turning his head so he could kiss him on the lips. Keiji smiled but kept his lips firmly closed, knowing his mouth probably tasted terrible. 

“Bye, Keiji. I love you.” Bokuto responded before turning and going out the door. 

Akaashi returned to the warm softness of his bed, cataloguing the experience. 

Reaction: Good. Notes: Brush teeth prior to goodbye kiss for better results. 

**Strategy Two: Relevant Compliments**

His next chance to express love for Bokuto came while they were sparring with Kuroo. Koutarou always won at least two of his matches, giving him ample opportunities to tell Bokuto how he admired his strength and fighting prowess. 

“Your form is very good today, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi called from the sidelines, watching carefully to see the results. 

Bokuto beamed at him, but it distracted him enough to allow Kuroo to throw himself into the opening, pinning Bokuto to the ground. 

Akaashi frowned. Although Koutarou liked the compliment, it caused him to lose, which likely cancelled out the enjoyment of the flattery. It appeared he would need to save praise for after activities, rather than during. 

It was Akaashi’s turn to fight Bokuto next, and he stepped up onto the platform with his mind whirring. 

**Strategy Three: Casual Touching**

Bokuto smiled playfully, “Are you ready to lose, Keiji?”

Akaashi just raised an eyebrow, waiting for Koutarou to attack. Honestly, he probably would lose. It was too early to take advantage of Bokuto’s flagging energy or mental fatigue. 

He successfully dodged a few attacks, but any attempts at taking the offensive were swiftly blocked by Koutarou. Akaashi launched himself at Bokuto’s back, hoping to get enough momentum to knock him to the ground. 

Instead, Bokuto stood solid through the attack, locking his hands around Keiji’s calves and trapping him against Koutarou’s back. He pulled on one of Akaashi’s legs, manhandling him until he was pressed flush against Bokuto’s chest. Koutarou fell forward, pinning him solidly against the ground. 

“Gotcha!” Koutarou crowed, playfully poking his ribcage. 

“Indeed.” Akaashi answered, locking his eyes to Bokuto’s face as he prepared to try out his next strategy. He raised one hand and rested it against Koutarou’s shoulder, “You win.”

Bokuto’s eyes darted to the hand, but before Akaashi could get any good data, Kuroo interrupted them. 

“Get a room!” he yelled through cupped hands, “Boo!”

Keiji shot daggers in his direction, and Bokuto climbed off him, offering him a hand to help him stand. 

Results: Inconclusive. Notes: Dispose of Kuroo-san.

**Strategy Four: Take care of him.**

This strategy had many parts, but Akaashi planned to start out by trying his hand at cooking something for Koutarou. He’d never really cooked before, but he doubted it was very difficult. He didn’t want to try anything complicated, just some sweets. 

After an awkward tea with Bokuto and his parents, Akaashi made his way down to the kitchens. He’d planned to arrive between meals, when someone would be available to help him a little. Approaching a familiar face, Akaashi tapped Yachi on the shoulder, “Excuse me.”

Yachi turned and smiled at him, “Prince Keiji! What are you doing here?”

“I was hoping to make some sweets for Koutarou. Would it be too much trouble for me to use a corner of the kitchen?”

“Of course not!” Yachi reassured him, “That’s so nice of you! What do you want to make, I’ll help you find the ingredients.”

Akaashi bowed his head gratefully, “That would be wonderful. I would like to make some caramels.”

“That’s not too difficult! We just need some cream and sugar, a little butter…”

Keiji felt reassured by the short list of ingredients, following Yachi closely as she picked up the things they needed. She shoved an apron into his hands, which Akaashi dutifully tied around his waist, feeling very prepared. 

They’d just put all of the ingredients into a heavy pot on the stove when a harsh voice called for Yachi. 

She looked torn between answering and continuing to help Akaashi. “It’s okay, I’ll be okay from here.” Akaashi told her, “You said I just have to melt everything, then pour it into the flat pan, right?”

Yachi nodded, “Wait for it to thicken!” She reminded him, “It should change color when it’s ready. I’ll be back as soon as I can!” 

And then she left Akaashi alone. 

He stirred the mixture carefully, repeating the steps to himself so he wouldn’t forget. After a few minutes of no changes, he began to grow impatient. 

The flame beneath the pot was very small, so Akaashi turned it up a bit, hoping it would speed up the process. To his satisfaction, this resulted in little bubbles beginning to form around the edges. Yachi hadn’t mentioned that, but surely it was a good sign. 

The spoon went round and round, and Akaashi was starting to notice it thicken a little. But it didn’t look like a different color? Impatiently, he turned the heat up higher, scrutinizing the mixture as he waited for it to change from brown to… well Yachi hadn’t told him what color it was supposed to turn. But he would recognize it when he saw it. 

The bubbles were getting bigger, and dragging his spoon through the caramel was becoming more and more difficult. He huffed in frustration, popping the bubbles with his spoon. Why wasn’t it changing color?

Finally, he decided that he must have heard Yachi incorrectly, because there was no way the caramel wasn’t done yet. It was still brown, but the mixture was so stiff he could hardly stir it. 

He turned off the heat and put on some oven mitts to pick up the pot and bring it over to the pan they had prepared earlier. 

_Pour the mixture into the flat pan._ Akaashi repeated to himself. 

But the caramel wouldn’t pour. He peered into the pot with disgust, poking it with the spoon. He was able to scoop some of it out, but it was quickly crystallizing into shards of sugar. 

Akaashi was stabbing the mixture with his spoon, desperately trying to break some of it off when Yachi returned. 

“How is it going?” she asked as she hurried over, freezing when she processed the scene in front of her. She approached Akaashi gingerly, taking the pot from him. 

She stared at the contents, and Akaashi watched her with wide eyes, hoping she would tell him how to fix it. 

“Oh Akaashi.” she opened one of the massive garbage bins next to them and dropped the pot, caramel and all, inside, “We’re going to need to try again.”

Results: Disastrous. Notes: Never Again.

After the cooking incident, Akaashi was feeling discouraged. He’d politely declined Yachi’s offer to help him start over, unwilling to repeat his traumatic failure. 

His day of experimentation had been disappointing, to say the least. Only one strategy had been unquestionably successful, and it was the one he’d wanted least to work, because it required waking up early. 

Keiji moped back to his room, feeling like his future as an affectionate partner was looking bleak. He stood in front of his door, and forced his face into a determined expression. There was still one strategy left, and he was convinced it would work. 

**Strategy Five: Enthusiastic Sex**

Akaashi went into his room, making a beeline for the bathroom. He pulled his favorite scented oil from home and rubbed it into his skin, enjoying how the smell delicately wafted up to his nose. A little went into his hair as well, because why not? He put a little liner on, smudging it out and practicing a smoldering look in his mirror. 

Finally, he went through his closet, finding what he was looking for at the very back. One of the light shifts he hadn’t worn since arriving in Fukurodani, because they weren’t warm enough. His layers came off one at a time, and he replaced it with the loose peach fabric. It felt silly, standing barefoot and barely covered in the drafty air, but he knew that this color complimented his dark complexion perfectly, and this wasn’t about him. 

He crossed over into Bokuto’s room, stoked the fire up high, and waited. 

It wasn’t long before he heard Bokuto’s footsteps approaching, unmistakable in their pace and weight. 

Akaashi swallowed down the nerves in his gut and sat up, ready to act. 

“I’m back!” Bokuto shouted as soon as he entered the door, slamming it behind him, “Did you miss m… oh.” 

Bokuto was cut off by Akaashi abruptly pushing him back against the door, muttering “Yes, Bokuto-san. I missed you a lot.”

“Woah, Keiji!” Bokuto enthused, “You look great! Aren’t you cold, though? That doesn’t look very…” 

Akaashi pressed a finger against his lips, trying to remember the phrases Tooru had taught him. “I want you so bad, Koutarou.”

Bokuto’s eyes hooded, and he took Keiji’s hand in his own, folding it and kissing his knuckles. 

“Well aren’t you eager today.” he observed, bringing an arm around Akaashi’s waist and pulling him closer, “What’s the occasion?”

“Do I need one?” Akaashi asked, pressing open lips to Bokuto’s. He nipped at Koutarou’s bottom lip, enjoying the way Bokuto’s hold tightened in response. 

They broke apart, and Bokuto pushed his face into Akaashi’s neck, breathing deeply, “Mm, you smell good.”

Keiji smirked, pushing his fingers through Bokuto’s hair, messing up the styled points. He ground their hips together lightly, pleased when Koutarou responded by grinding back. 

He lifted Bokuto’s mouth back up to his own, and Koutarou kissed him enthusiastically, gasping when Akaashi snuck a hand down to stroke him gently through his pants. Bokuto tried to return the action, but Keiji quickly dropped down to his knees, remembering the objective. 

“Oh my god.” Bokuto groaned, head dropping backwards to thump against the door. “Oh my god, ‘Kaashi, you look so good.”

Akaashi smirked and got to work on the cords holding up Bokuto’s pants. 

“Wait, wait, wait.” Koutarou interrupted him, a hand coming down to pet his hair, “Your knees are gonna hurt if we do this here. Let’s move to the bed, okay?”

Keiji frowned, fingers still picking at the knots on Koutarou’s trousers. “No. I don’t care.”

Bokuto chuckled and grabbed Keiji’s hands, forcing them to stop. “You say that now, but you’ll hate yourself when you wake up tomorrow with bruises. Come on.”

He crouched down and pulled Akaashi up, hooking one arm under his knees, and the other behind his back. Keiji quickly recalculated to account for this change, still resolute on showing Bokuto how much he loved and valued him. He couldn’t screw this up. 

Koutarou put him down against the pillows, pulling his own shirt off and kicking off his shoes and socks before climbing on top of him. 

Bokuto tried to kiss him again, but Akaashi slapped his arm impatiently, “Turn over.”

“There’s no hurry.” Bokuto assured him between kisses to his collarbone, “Let me touch you first.”

“No.” Akaashi snapped, “I don’t want you to touch me. I want to touch you.”

Koutarou pulled away and gave Akaashi a puzzled look, “Um… okay? Are you alright?”

Keiji huffed out through his nose, “Yes, just turn over and let me suck your dick.”

Bokuto just stared at him, eyebrows furrowing further, “Are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been acting kind of strange all day, Keiji.”

Akaashi felt frustrated tears starting to gather at the corners of his eyes, “Just let me, Koutarou! Let me do this for you!”

Instead, Bokuto collapsed down, wrapping both arms around Akaashi in a suffocating hug, “Nope. Not happening. Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“There’s nothing wrong!”

“’Kaashi, you’re crying.”

Keiji wiped away the incriminating tears that had started to fall and sniffed irritably. 

“Tell me what’s the matter.” Bokuto murmured against his chest, words brushing against the half-open robe. “Please.”

“I told you, there’s nothing wrong.”

Koutarou snuggled him tighter, “I’m worried, Keiji. I wish you’d just tell me. I’m no good at guessing.”

Akaashi let his tension leak into the mattress, resignation replacing the frustration. He’d actually managed to make Bokuto upset, instead of making him happy. He was hopeless. 

“I’m no good at this.” Keiji admitted, a few more tears escaping, “I’m sorry, Koutarou.”

Bokuto rolled off of him, moving up so he could look Akaashi in the eyes. “What are you sorry for?”

“You make me feel so loved.” Akaashi told him, “All the time. And I’m so bad at showing you that I feel the same way. I love you, Koutarou, I love you so much. The six months that we’ve been together have made me so happy. I just want to show you, but for some reason I just can’t. It makes me so angry with myself when I’m taking so much and never giving you anything back.”

Bokuto was quiet for a moment, and Akaashi turned his face away, unable to maintain eye contact after his humiliating confession. 

“I know that you love me, Keiji.” Bokuto whispered, “It’s hard for me to believe sometimes, but never because of you. You’re perfect.”

“I’m not.” Akaashi told the pillow, “I’m not.”

“Well.” Bokuto pulled him against his chest, “Not perfect, but close enough. I’m not in a relationship with myself, and I don’t need you to treat me the way I treat you. That would be weird. You wouldn’t be you if you acted like me.” Bokuto paused, “Does that make sense?”

Akaashi burrowed into the warmth of Bokuto’s shoulder, “I guess so.” 

Bokuto kissed his forehead, “Come one, let’s get under the covers. You’re cold.”

Keiji pouted, “Are we still having sex? Because if not, I’m putting something else on.”

Koutarou faked a scandalized expression, “Keiji! We never _have sex_. We _make love_.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Akaashi rolled his eyes, but followed his husband under the covers. 

They had their differences, and that was bound to make things messy, but their love was so, so worth it. And Oikawa was right: they would figure it out, and somehow they were going to make this work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everybody who's made it this far, especially those of you who've been so enthusiastic in you're support. Writing is fun all on it's own, but knowing that there are people reading and enjoying your work makes it so much better. 
> 
>  
> 
> On a different note, about halfway through this fic a few people expressed interest in a BokuAkaKuro spinoff detailing how this story eventually evolved to include Kuroo in Bokuto and Akaashi's relationship. I was contemplating this and how I wanted to do that, when OUT OF THE SKY AN IDEA STRUCK LIKE A BOLT OF LIGHTENING. An 1800's BokuAkaKuro French Military AU sprung from my mind fully formed like the goddess Athena.There's already an entire outline for it sitting in the notes on my phone. I can't think about anything else. So. I will probably write that instead of expanding on this universe. I hope that's okay! Make sure to keep an eye out for it, if that sounds like something you would be interested in. I'll probably start on it pretty soon, because I literally can't focus with this AU bouncing around in my skull. 
> 
> Thanks again!


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